The Dragonblood Saga VI: Once Forgotten
by ForTalosandtheEmpire
Summary: After assassins attack her home, Mara Fides must travel to the island of Solstheim to face the man who was the first to take the name "Dragonborn." Surrounded by memories of her old home in Morrowind and caught in the machinations of yet another Daedric Prince, Mara must answer the chilling question: How much of her soul belongs to her?
1. Chapter 1: Challenge

**Rating: Rated T for violence, dark themes, and language.**

 **Disclaimer: Skyrim is the property of Bethesda Game Studios.**

 **This is the sixth installment in** ** _The Dragonblood Saga._** **Please read** _ **Honor Bound, Madness Rising, Into Ashes, Bitter Faith,**_ **and** _ **Night's Bane**_ **before beginning this story, as much of what happens here relies on events that occurred in the previous books.**

* * *

The _dovah_ crashed to earth at my Shout, skidding heavily across the ground and cutting a deep groove in the dirt. He lay there, stunned and growling dazedly. When he didn't immediately get back up, I stalked around his scaled form to stand before his massive snout.

Raising my sword, I pointed it at him and asked in his language, " _Do you know who I am?_ "

" _Dragonborn_ ," he growled. " _Vanquisher_."

The corner of my mouth quirked up. " _That's right_."

He glared at me with yellow, slit-pupiled eyes. " _Kill me and be done with this_."

" _No. You won't die today. Not by my hand,"_ I told him shaking my head.

" _Why?_ "

" _I will not be responsible for the destruction of the dragons. There are few enough in the world_." When he started to move, I tapped the flat of my blade against his nose. " _However, there's something you need to promise me in return_."

He growled again. " _What would you ask of me?_ "

" _Stay away from the humans. Their cities, their towns. Leave them alone. If you do, I'll make sure they leave you alone as well_."

He stared at me and I stared back. Finally he relented, grumbling, " _Very well, Dovahkiin. I swear that I will do as you ask and stay away from the mortals_."

" _Do you swear on your soul?_ "

" _I swear on my soul_ ," he said, reluctant.

" _Good. Now go_."

I stepped back. Even though I lowered my sword, I kept my eyes trained on him. The dragon got to his feet and shook out his long body. Then, with a roar, he launched himself up into the sky. I watched him vanish into the distance before turning and walking back down the road toward Whiterun.

It was a nice night. The early Spring air was cool, the chill of the frost mostly gone. Honestly, I'd learned over the past four years that there was no greater blessing than that. The sky was clear for the moment and, as the sun set below the western horizon, stars began to shine brightly in the sky while the moons rose in the east.

Not too long after Alduin's defeat, things started to change between the _dovah_ , as they preferred to be called, and me. Did some of them continue to try to ravage Skyrim? Divines, yes. But Paarthurnax was right. Odahviing was right. I could reason with them. They respected me... sometimes. And sometimes, like the last one, they just needed a little persuasion.

I walked through Whiterun's front gates, nodding to the guards stationed outside, and stepped into the city. That was when I saw them.

Two robed figures stood on _my_ doorstep. There was something definitely off about their posture, and it was enough to make me walk that much faster. The closer I got, the more nervous I became. Both of them wore elaborate gilded masks that shone in the light of the lanterns set out on the street. In my experience, those who wore masks were usually up to no good. I saw the shorter of the two knock on Breezehome's door again. Whoever they were, no one in the house was letting them in. That was also not a good sign. I approached them at a sprint by then, my hand twitching toward the hilt of my blade. It could have been nothing, but then again it could have been something really bad. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

"Hey!" I called, finally reaching the two strangers. "Do you need something?" My plan, whether they were friendly or not, was to try to draw them away from the house. I had to keep my family safe no matter what.

The shorter one turned to me and a woman's voice rasped through the mask. "You there! You're the one they call Dragonborn?"

Great. More people looking for me. That explained why they were at _my_ house. "Well, yes, I am Dragonborn. But…"

"Your lies fall on deaf ears, Deceiver!" She hissed. "The True Dragonborn comes… you are but his shadow."

Both of them lifted their hands, which suddenly burst into flames. My eyes widened and I hastily drew my sword. Damn it, why did those things always happen to _me?_

"When Lord Miraak appears all shall bear witness. None shall oppose him!" She cried.

They threw their fistfuls of fire at me and I scrambled out of the way. I heard shouting down the street as others started to notice the commotion. I dodged another burst of flame and spun in to cut the woman down. She crumpled and her companion leapt over her, his burning hands heading straight for my face. I ducked, but I didn't really need to. He collapsed, dead at my feet, an arrow sticking out of his back. It had come from Captain Caius. The leader of the Whiterun guard ran toward me, not taking his eyes off the two bodies lying on the street.

"What just happened?" He asked.

I lowered my blade and shook my head. "I... don't know. They said something about me being a "false Dragonborn" before they attacked."

Caius snorted. "Everyone around here would say otherwise. The rest of Skyrim, too, I suspect. Don't worry, though. We'll handle this."

I nodded. While the Captain turned away to address the guards that had hurried over in the time since, I knelt down by the bodies.

Both of them wore identical masks and brown robes decorated with gilded plates made to look like patches of scales. Tucked into one of their belts, however, was a folded piece of parchment. Glancing up to make sure no one was watching, I hastily snatched it and stuffed it into my pocket.

I heard a door open behind me and a frantic voice cry, " _Mara!_ "

Turning, I saw Ma standing in the open doorway of Breezehome. Lydia was visible behind her, looking stony-faced. I got to my feet and hurried over to them.

"Are you both all right? Where's Lucia?" I asked.

"In her room," Lydia cut in. "We made her stay in there after it was clear those two wouldn't leave. Who were they?"

I glanced back over my shoulder at the guards, who had started their examination of the bodies. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

Stepping into my house, I hastily shut the door behind me. Once the guards were out of sight, I fished the note out of my pocket and smoothed it out to examine its contents. Behind me, I heard Ma and Lydia's feet shuffling anxiously on the wooden floor.

"What is that?" Ma asked.

I didn't answer.

 _Board the vessel Northern Maiden docked at Raven Rock. Take it to Windhelm, then begin your search. Kill the false Dragonborn known as Mara before she reaches Solstheim._

 _Return with word of your success, and Miraak will be most pleased._

The paper crumpled in my tense hands. Whoever that "Miraak" they spoke of was, he was going to pay for putting my family in danger. The note implied that he was on Solstheim... I remembered hearing about the island when I still lived in Morrowind. It was off the northwest coast of Vvardenfell, if I recalled correctly. The assassins had gotten from there to Skyrim by ship through Windhelm. They knew who I was, but I was still in the dark about them.

Well, I clearly needed to pay a certain ship's captain a visit.

Stuffing the note back in my pocket, I pushed the front door open again. "I don't know when I'll be back. Soon, hopefully."

Ma gasped, "But the guards..."

"Can't handle this." I looked back over my shoulder at her, feeling grim. "I've got to deal with this problem myself."

* * *

I called to Odahviing, who dropped me off outside of Windhelm. It was much faster to get around the province by flying, cutting days off of the time needed to get there. Hopefully I'd still be able to catch the _Northern Maiden_ , or at least find out where it went after the assassins arrived.

It was fairly late when I entered the city. Instead of heading to Candlehearth Hall as most travelers did, I turned east toward the Gray Quarter. It was in better condition than it had been before Ulfric's death and the end of the war. Brunwulf Free-Winter was a far better, more understanding man than that s'wit had ever been.

The instant I stepped into the New Gnisis Cornerclub, I heard several voices call out my name. Ambarys even gave me a smile from behind the bar before he went back to cleaning glasses.

Suvaris Atheron waved me over to the small, rickety table in the corner of the main room. "Mara! It's good to see you."

"Good to see you, too, Suvaris."

I sat down across from her and she looked me over with dark red eyes. "It's been some time. What brings you back to our frozen corner of Skyrim?"

I gave her a weary laugh. "Honestly? I'm looking for a ship. The _Northern Maiden_. It was supposed to have come in from Solstheim."

"Oh! Yes. It caused quite a stir on the docks. The captain's refusing to go back to the island, you see. The ship's still here."

I leaned forward a little. "Really?"

She nodded. Interesting.

Before I could say anything else, I caught the sound of raised voices coming from outside the cornerclub. Ambarys grumbled something. Suvaris cringed. My eyes narrowed in anger as I guessed what the commotion was about.

"Don't tell me that's Stone-Fist again," I growled. "Damn it, I thought we'd dealt with this ages ago."

"He's never around when the guards come through," Suvaris whispered.

I got to my feet, jaw set. "It seems that I need to have a word with Jarl Brunwulf. Until then, however..."

Throwing the front door open, I stormed out onto the darkened street. My eyes narrowed when I caught sight of the Nord, familiar by his leather cap. He turned at the sound of the opening door and his eyes widened when he caught sight of me. Before he could run, I'd grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pinned him against the street wall.

He struggled against my grip, shouting, "Let me go!"

"Not a chance," I snarled. "You're not welcome here."

"I can go wherever I damn well please! I'll call the guards!" He spat.

"Will you, Stone-Fist? Because I seem to remember those same _Imperial_ guards telling you not to harass the Dunmer living here anymore on pain of being arrested."

He spluttered. "How dare–"

"But I don't need the guards. See, Rolff," I said, leaning in close, "I know where you live. I have ways of finding out what you _really_ are. So unless you'd like to find out as well, I'd suggest staying away from here. Understood?"

"I... Yes."

"Then get out."

I let him go and he hastily staggered away and out of the Quarter. The street fell silent once again. A few moments later I heard the cornerclub's door creak open.

"Thank you, sera," Suvaris told me in a soft voice.

I continued to stare after where the Nord had vanished, frowning. "I just wish there was more I could do."

* * *

I went down to the Windhelm docks early the next morning to look for the _Northern Maiden_. It didn't take long. The ship was one of only a few docked, and it got sideways glances from many of the workers there. The crew themselves seemed harried. The big blond man I assumed was the captain rubbed his face and let out a long sigh.

As I stepped across the plank and onto the deck of the _Northern Maiden_ , the captain lowered his hand and snapped, "If you're looking for passage to Solstheim, too bad. I'm not going back there anymore."

I crossed my arms and gave him a hard stare. "Why?"

"It's hard to explain. I remember those people with the masks coming on board, then..." He sighed again. "The next thing I remember, I was here and they were gone. That's not right, losing whole days like that. There's been something strange going on there for a while, but after this... I'm done. I'm not going back to Solstheim."

I laughed coldly. "Oh, yes you are. And you're taking me."

"Have you been listening to me? I'm not going back there."

I gave him a hard glare. "Those "people with the masks" you mentioned tried to kill me. You owe me for that."

He seemed to cringe a little and finally relented, "All right, you have a point. Taking you back to find out who sent them is the least I can do. Besides, maybe you can put a stop to whatever's going on over there. I owe them a bit of payback myself."


	2. Chapter 2: Raven

I stood on the deck of the _Northern Maiden_ with my arms crossed as I watched the town come into view.

The first thing I'd seen as the ship approached Solstheim was its ashy shores. That wasn't the frozen island I'd remembered being described to me. Still, after the eruption of the Red Mountain with Vvardenfell so close by... I shuddered a little just thinking about what it must have been like on the bigger island if Solstheim had changed so drastically.

As the ship got closer, I noticed the heavy stone walls protecting the harbor. Beyond them were buildings that were undoubtedly Redoran in style. The town honestly didn't seem all that big.

I heard boots on the deck behind me and the captain's voice a moment later, his words directed at me.

"Well, here we are," he said. "This is Raven Rock. Can't say I'm all that glad to see it again. Good luck. Maybe you can figure out what's going on around here."

The crew of the _Northern Maiden_ tied the ship off at the docks. Just as I stepped off the plank and onto the dock, a Dunmer approached me, followed by two guards garbed in suits of bonemold armor.

"I don't recognize you, so I'll assume this is your first visit to Raven Rock, outlander," he said, eyeing me warily. "State your intentions."

Best be honest about that. "I'm looking for someone named Miraak. Do you know anyone by that name?"

The mer frowned, clearly puzzled. "I... I'm unsure. I _swear_ I know the name, but cannot place it."

Fantastic.

"Is there _anything_ you can tell me about him?"

"I don't think so. I'm not..." He hesitated. "The name has something to do with the Earth Stone, I think, but I'm not sure what. It's just south of town."

I was getting nowhere very quickly. I had to find that "Earth Stone," whatever it was, to get anything else on Miraak, it seemed.

"Thanks."

"Just remember, Raven Rock is sovereign territory of House Redoran. This is Morrowind, not Skyrim. While you're here you will be expected to abide by our laws. Any questions?"

"Yes, actually." I glanced at the buildings. Every one of them was Dunmeri in style. The Raven Rock I'd heard a little about had been an Imperial mining town. "Is Raven Rock a completely Dunmer settlement?"

"Raven Rock started out as an Imperial settlement, but the Empire decided to abandon it just as my people were first setting foot here," the mer explained. "They left the town a shambles, but when House Redoran took over we turned it around and it became ours. And even if it's been a struggle to make this island livable, we're proud to call it home."

"Is it that rough here?"

He snorted. "This isn't exactly the city of Blacklight. We're on the frontier out here, and we've had more than a fair share of troubles. After all we've been through together, I refuse to let Councilor Morvayn down."

"Blacklight's... in the north of Morrowind, yes?"

"It's the capital of Morrowind. Been that way ever since Mournhold was sacked by the Argonians. I don't visit there often anymore, but we still get the occasional supply ship and visitors from there."

I stared at him. I'd known about the eruption that started what was later known as the "Red Year," but...

"The Argonians invaded Morrowind?" I asked, my voice a bit strained.

"Quite a while ago, yes. They cut a bloody swath across most of the southern region of Morrowind. Nobody seems certain why it happened. An attempt at expansion, revenge for the enslavement of their people, or perhaps both." He sighed and shook his head as he went on, "Whatever the case may be, thousands of Dunmer needlessly lost their lives and many more were exiled from their homeland."

"I... Thank you for your time."

He blinked and his wariness returned. "Remember, we're watching you."

I expected nothing less from an authority figure from Morrowind.

As I made my way up the dock toward the town, I heard the Dunmer address the _Northern Maiden_ 's captain.

"Gjalund. I was starting to wonder what happened to you."

"We, uh..." Captain Gjalund cleared his throat. "We were delayed by bad weather. Before you even ask – yes, I have the supplies you requested. But..."

"But _what?_ "

"This load cost me double what we'd agreed on. Nothing I can do about it."

"Damn it, Gjalund! You know we don't have that much coin!"

"Look, the East Empire Company didn't give me a choice. They've raised their prices again, and there's nothing I can do about it."

"After all these years, they're gouging us for every last drake we have. Let me talk to Lleril. I'll see what we can do."

"All right, Adril. Don't worry about rushing it. Just pay me when you can."

Their voices faded until I could no longer hear them as I stepped into Raven Rock.

It was late and the streets were all but deserted. The buildings I passed by all had the short, curved, almost shell-like look that was typical of Redoran architecture. I stopped near the well at the center of town, frowning as I looked around and tried to decide what to do. The logical choice was to find the cornerclub and stop for the night.

A door opened nearby and a Dunmer stepped out onto the street. Her gaze was glassy, and passed over me as though I wasn't even there. Something was wrong. Very wrong. Remembering what captain Gjalund had said about strange things happening in the town, I started to follow her.

The womer led me down the road south out of town. It ran for some time along the beach before ending at... what looked like a shrine.

At the center was some kind of ancient standing stone. The Earth Stone the Dunmer named Adril told me about, I assumed. Around it was a shallow pool and a series of half-built arches. People wandered about, carrying stones or hammering away at the construction. Every last one of them seemed to be in a trance. They didn't notice as I moved among them. Instead, they kept at their work, all the while murmuring some kind of chant.

" _Here in his shrine that they have forgotten... Here do we toil, that we might remember... By night we reclaim what by day was stolen... Far from ourselves he grows ever near to us... Our eyes once were blinded, now through him do we see... Our hands once were idle; now through them does he speak... And when the world shall listen, and when the world shall see, and when the world remembers, that world will cease to be..."_

The words sent chills down my spine.

Then, through the dazed throng, I saw a figure heading right for me. Like the others he was a Dunmer, but he was dressed in elaborate crimson and gold wizard robes. He was also bald and had a pointed beard, which he stroked while eyeing me with curiosity. I returned his gaze warily, feeling tense.

"You don't seem to be in quite the same state as the others here," he commented. His voice was imperious, the tone grating on my ears. "Very interesting. May I ask what it is you're doing here?"

"I'm looking for someone called Miraak."

"Miraak... Miraak... It sounds familiar, and yet I can't quite place..." He snapped his fingers. "Oh, wait. I recall... but that makes very little sense. Miraak's been dead for thousands of years."

I frowned at him. "And what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. But it is fascinating, isn't it? Perhaps it has some relation to what's going on here. Quite unexpected. I'm afraid I can't give you any answers, but there are ruins of an ancient temple of Miraak's toward the center of the island. If I were you, I'd look there."

I sighed. Somehow I'd found myself out among possessed villagers, listening to a wizard's ramblings.

"What are these people doing?" I asked, pointing to the workers.

"Building something, clearly. And yet they don't seem to have much to say about it. I'm very interested to find out what happens when they finish." He looked around at them all with the air of studying their actions.

"Have you even tried to stop them?"

He scoffed. "Certainly not! Doing so would interfere with whatever is going on, and I would be unable to see how this all turns out."

I rolled my eyes. Typical. Absolutely typical.

I walked up to the stone in the middle of the shrine, examining the odd greenish glow that I noticed coming from its surface. One of the villagers kneeled before it, his hands raised to the sky. There was something… off about the pillar. It sent another shiver through me. Curiosity got the better of me, however. I reached out, and…

* * *

I wiped my brow and continued to chisel away at the stone. Tiny gray fragments broke off as I worked.

"Can you hear me?" A voice asked. "Do you have any free will left, or are you completely under this outside influence like the others?"

It was that wizard again. I saw him out of the corner of my eye. At first, I felt annoyed. He was interrupting my work! It must be completed. It must…

I looked at the chisel and mallet in my hands.

What in Talos's holy name was I doing?

I hastily dropped the tools and took a step back.

"Ah, so you appear able to resist the effect by exerting your will," the wizard exclaimed. "Fascinating!"

"Are you quite finished?" I snapped, trudging out of the pool and back onto dry land. Ash stuck to the sides of my wet boots. "When I find whoever's behind this, I swear I'll…"

"Yes, yes. I would advise not touching the stone again. The effects of repeated contact could be…" He looked at me thoughtfully. "Unless of course you'd like to contribute to my investigation. It could be _very_ enlightening to observe you."

I rubbed my forehead. I suddenly felt a bit dizzy. How long was I out? "I don't think so."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself."

He went back to studying the others that remained in their trance. I, however, walked back toward Raven Rock. The sick, dizzy feeling was beginning to wear off. That was when I noticed the sun rising in the distance.

I didn't stop. I just kept walking, through the town and toward the wall protecting it. The passage through was supported by wooden beams and covered with ash. Clearly they had ash storms on Solstheim as well. On the other side a half-buried road ran through dunes covered with dark, scraggly bushes and scathecraw.

That was when I heard the sounds of fighting ahead.

A Dunmer in bonemold armor was backed against the remains of a ruined old house by several creatures. They were human in appearance, but their skin seemed to be made of pale ash that glowed slightly. I drew my sword and raced toward them. When I stabbed it, the area around the wound turned black and crumbled. I yanked out my blade and the creature collapsed at my feet, no more than dust.

When we'd managed to cut down all the creatures, the mer lowered his greataxe and said in a weary voice, "Thanks. I wasn't sure I'd make it off this farm alive. I wish I could have said the same for my man here."

I looked down, noticing the bonemold-clad body partially covered by the ash.

"What were those things?" I asked him.

"Some of the Redoran Guard have taken to calling them "ash spawn."" He snorted. "Me? I don't care what they're called. All I know is they're a danger to Raven Rock and they need to be stopped."

"And how did that bring you to this place?"

Indicating the area, he said, "I was going to search for clues that might lead me to wherever they're coming from. I know it isn't the best place to start, but we know they've been coming from this direction."

Those ash spawn would definitely be a problem if they stood between me and the shrine. Only one thing to do.

"I suppose I could help with that."

He let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I can use all the help I can get. Besides, I don't feel comfortable leaving Raven Rock behind, and I'd hate to lose any more Redoran Guard."

I sheathed my sword. "Right. Where do I start?"

"We were searching the farm when the ash spawn ambushed us. Have a look around and see if you can turn up anything useful."

As I climbed into the ruins of the farmhouse, I called back, "Those ash spawn… what are they?"

"No one knows, really," he replied. "Superstitious folk say they're the risen forms of those that died long ago, but I'm not so certain. They started attacking the bulwark a few weeks ago. My men were able to kill them, but they keep coming back."

"How often do they attack?"

"We've had two other assaults on the bulwark at different spots on the wall. I know it sounds crazy, but it's almost like they're becoming more organized and probing it for weaknesses."

"And you think there's some kind of motivation behind their attacks," I guessed as I started combing through the ashy interior.

"Exactly. _Something_ has to be directing them against us and we need to find out who – or what – it is."

I didn't find anything in the ruined farmhouse, but as I climbed back out I noticed something lying in the ashes. A folded letter, its edged burned. I knelt down.

"Did you drop this?" I asked. When the guard captain shook his head, I picked it up and unfolded it.

 _Raven Rock Stronghold,_

 _My calls for the unconditional surrender of your forces and an immediate cessation of all hostilities have been ignored numerous times. I therefore have no choice but to assume your purpose on Solstheim is hostile, and to treat Raven Rock Stronghold as an enemy of the Empire. I warn you, any attempt to breach Fort Frostmoth will be met with an equal level of aggression. I will do anything in my power to wipe you and your forces off the face of Tamriel. There will be no further communications between us._

 _General Falx Carius_

 _Garrison Commander, Fort Frostmoth_

I held the letter out to the mer. He took it from me and read it over before staring at the paper in disbelief.

"This is strange," he murmured. "The note says that it's from General Falx Carius, but that's impossible."

"Why?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, Carius was the Imperial garrison commander at Fort Frostmoth, but he died two hundred years ago when the Red Mountain leveled the place. There's no way he could still be alive."

I was living proof that that wasn't necessarily true, but I was a rare example.

"So what do you want me to do?"

"If General Carius is still alive, there must be something _keeping_ him that way…" he said, mostly to himself. He shook his head and turned his attention back fully on me. "I need you to head out to Fort Frostmoth and check it out. I'm going to head back to Raven Rock and prepare the men for further assaults."

I nodded. "I'll find him."

"Good. Be careful; this General Carius sounds out of his mind."

* * *

I went east, through the ruined ashlands, following the coast. Eventually the ruined walls of an Imperial Fort appeared ahead.

It faced the sea and, in the distance, Vvardenfell. The broken remains of a dock lay scattered on the beach below. I crouched behind some rock outcroppings as I watched the fort. Some of the ash spawn patrolled the walls high above. When I saw an opening, I dashed in past the outer walls and into the fortress's dark interior.

The halls inside were dark, the only light coming from the smashed windows. Piles of ash covered the floor and the tattered remains of Imperial banners hung on the walls. Beneath the drifts, I saw glimpses of what looked like bones. I shivered and kept walking, careful not to make a sound. I was sure there were more of the ash spawn in there with me.

Descending further into the fortress, I stumbled across a caved-in hallway. The remains of a skeleton lay half-crushed beneath the fallen stone blocks. Nearby were several tattered pieces of paper. Letters? I bent down and picked one up.

 _My dearest Selina,_

 _This is my last letter. I don't know if you'll ever get any of them, but I'll keep them on me in case I'm ever found. Something happened here, Selina. It was horrible. Something's happened at the Red Mountain, but I can't describe it. It's as if hundreds of Oblivion Gates opened at once at its summit and it's spitting fire and death in all directions. Fort Frostmoth has been completely destroyed. The walls crumbled like loose dirt and the land is on fire. Everything around me smells of ash and of death. I don't know where anyone is. I've been trapped in one of these lower sections of the fort and I don't expect to be rescued anytime soon. I miss you, Selina. I want to hold you and the children in my arms and tell you that everything is going to be fine, but I don't think that will ever happen. Give my love to Siricus and Atia for me. Tell them their father died bravely defending the Empire, so they can hold their heads high when they speak of me one day. And you, my love, when you close your eyes at night, think of me so my spirit can finally come home._

 _Yours always and forever,_

 _Maximian Axius_

 _3 Sun's Dawn 4E05_

I closed my eyes. Seeing what the eruption had actually done just made it so much more…

Taking a deep breath, I folded the letter and gathered up the others. I couldn't just leave them there.

Further down in the ruins were what appeared to be catacombs. Rotting wooden coffins rested on the stone shelves that lined the walls. I passed cautiously among them, dropping into the shadows when I saw an ash spawn ahead. I nocked an arrow. The creature turned toward me, eyes narrowed, and the arrow buried itself in its forehead. It collapsed to the floor in a pile of ashes. I retrieved the arrow from the remains.

At the very back of the catacombs was a dark chamber. I summoned flames to my fingertips to shine a bit of light inside.

Two coffins had been moved from their places along the walls and stacked in the middle of the floor. A satchel rested on the floor, leaning against them. A journal and several candles sat on top. I lit one of the candles, suddenly curious. Compared to everything else in the ruined fort, those things appeared new. Once the flames took, I extinguished my own and flipped open the journal.

 _Day 32_

 _It's been almost a month since unearthing the crypt at Fort Frostmoth, and I haven't seen a single spark of life in the general's remains. Grafting the heart stone to the subject is proving much more difficult than I originally anticipated. I've used almost every method I can think of, and there's still no sign of reanimation. At this rate, it could be years before I make any progress… which is time I just can't afford right now. If my vengeance is to come to fruition, I need results. If not, I may need to resort to more drastic measures._

Clearly whoever had written the journal had gotten it to work eventually; otherwise I wouldn't be down there trying to find General Carius at all. I flipped to the last page.

 _Day 59_

 _The general is still unable or unwilling to listen to my commands. He's acting increasingly paranoid, and appears to have his own free will. He's convinced that I am a "spy" or the "enemy," and I've had to restrain him to prevent him from outright attacking me. This is becoming intolerable. I'm beginning to wonder if someone with a heart stone can be commanded at all. If my experiments with General Carius fail, I may have to resort to self-experimentation… something I've been avoiding for a long time._

I frowned. What had they meant by–?

" _Men, an invader has entered the fort!_ "

I froze. It was a man's voice, and sounded distant. I doused the lights and hurried back toward the entrance to the catacombs and back up the stairs.

" _Prepare yourselves! Fort Frostmoth will never fall! Long live the Empire!_ "

The voice was coming from the other side of a doorway on the upper floor. Quietly drawing my sword, I slipped inside and up the stairs beyond.

At the top, I saw several of the ash spawn standing before a man dressed in old, battered Imperial Legion armor. The front of the breastplate had a hole cut in it. Inside, I saw some kind of bright, reddish glow. That was when he looked up and caught sight of me.

"There's the intruder!" He roared. "Repel her immediately!"

I leapt aside as the creatures blasted fire and ash at me. When they came closer to attack, I cut them down one by one. Soon only the general and I remained. He hefted a massive, glowing hammer.

"First I'll deal with you, then the soldiers in Raven Rock!"

I ducked as he swung the hammer at my head and it crashed into a stone pillar, cracking it. Bits of the ceiling rained down around us. I dashed out of the way and Carius just shrugged it off.

When he lifted his hammer again, I ducked beneath his arms and stabbed him in the gut. He froze, his arms tensing. He stared at me with what almost seemed like surprise. His face was withered, too withered, to be fully human. I barely kept myself from shivering as yanked out my blade and stepped back. The general fell heavily and lay still. My arms shook as I lowered my sword.

"I'm sorry," I murmured.

* * *

"General Carius was raised by necromancers," I told the captain when I returned to Raven Rock. "I took care of it."

"I had my suspicions that he was undead. How else could he have survived for over two hundred years?"

I kept quiet.

"It's a shame," he continued, sighing. "There are quite a few tales of General Carius's exploits, including the founding of Raven Rock."

"Well, he's not going to send ash spawn here anymore."

The captain nodded. "Councilor Morvayn told me to give this to you if you made it back in one piece and you got rid of General Carius. Better than a soldier's pay, so you should be thankful."

I took the purse he handed to me. "All the soldiers here, they're the Redoran Guard?"

"Yes. Some of the best warriors that House Redoran has to offer. I've spent quite a few years honing their skills and I can assure you they're not just your average city guard."

The ones in Morrowind's big cities never were. But in Raven Rock?

"Why have them out here, then?"

"To protect Councilor Morvayn, of course. He has quite a few friends on the Council back in Morrowind, including Archmaster Talise herself, and they wanted to ensure his safety while he was here. Other than that, I'm not at liberty to discuss it."

"Suit yourself," I said, shrugging and making my way back toward the bulwark.


	3. Chapter 3: First

The temple the wizard had mentioned was near the middle of Solstheim at the top of a large hill. The ashlands gave way just before it to an environment more like that of northern Skyrim. Pine trees grew all around and there was snow on the ground.

That wasn't the only thing, however.

I stopped at the base of the hill, staring at the massive bones eroding out of the earth. Those were unmistakably dragon bones. I looked around, brow furrowing. There was another skeleton not too far away. And another. How many of them were there? What had happened there? I shivered at the thought and looked up to the top of the hill. The strange turrets covered with scaffolding had to be the temple. Wrapping my cloak tighter around myself, I trudged up toward it.

The temple was a massive circular structure of towers and arches surrounding a standing stone like the one near Raven Rock. Two rings of stairs lead down to it. All around me were more of the possessed workers, murmuring their familiar chant.

"Please! We must leave this place! Ysra, I'm here to help you!" A voice shouted from below.

I looked down to see a woman shaking one of the workers, trying to snap her out of the trance. Well, it looked like I wasn't the only one not under the spell. Interesting. I hopped down and ran over to her. She was my best bet to find out what was going on. She turned the moment she heard my footsteps.

"You there," she said warily. "What brings you to this place? Why are you here?"

She was definitely a Nord, but the accent wasn't like any I'd ever heard before. Hmm.

I crossed my arms. "I might ask you the same question. Who are you?"

"I am Frea of the Skaal. I am here to either save my people, or avenge them."

"Save them from what, exactly?"

"I am unsure." She looked around nervously at the construction around us. "Something has taken control of most of the people of Solstheim. It makes them forget themselves, and work on these horrible creations that corrupt the stones, the very land itself. My father, Storn, our shaman, says Miraak has returned to Solstheim, but that is impossible."

"Well, _someone_ named Miraak tried to have me killed," I said.

She nodded solemnly. "Then you and I both have reason to see what lies beneath us. Let us go. There is nothing more I can do here. The Tree Stone and my friends are beyond my help for now. We need to find a way into the temple below."

There was a low grinding sound coming from somewhere nearby. I looked around warily.

"Did you hear that?" I asked her.

"Hear what?"

The grinding sound was replaced by footsteps. From several different people, judging by the sound.

"Find them." A voice said. That's when I noticed the ramp leading down beneath the Stone… and the cultists walking up it, headed straight toward us.

I drew my sword and ran at them, cutting the first down before they even knew what hit them. The other two soon realized the danger and dodged my attacks. Spells flared to life in their hands. Frea charged at them, shouting something about honor, and attacked full force with a pair of hatchets. The cultists had been so focused on me that they'd entirely forgotten about her. Between the two of us, they didn't even stand a chance.

Frea and I went down the way the way the cultists had come from. As we walked, I asked quietly, "You're here by yourself?"

She nodded. "There are few of us left unaffected by this curse. My father protects them in the village. I fashioned an amulet to guard me against whatever has taken hold of the Skaal, but it is the only one of its kind. If I cannot find a way to save them, there is no hope for our people."

"Hopefully it won't come to that." I pushed open the door leading to the temple's interior. "Come on."

The halls beyond were ancient and ruined. Some of the walls had crumbled to rubble. Candles lined the walls, however, and cast menacing shadows as we walked.

"We must be careful in these ruins," Frea whispered. "Traps can be anywhere, and there will likely be many. Miraak was trying to take power here and protect himself in the process."

"What do you know about Miraak?" I asked her. "No one's been able to tell me much."

"His story is as old as Solstheim itself. He served the dragons before their fall from power, as most did. A priest in their order. But unlike most, _he_ turned against them. He made his own path and his actions cost him dearly. The stories say he sought to claim Solstheim for himself, and the dragons destroyed him for it."

We stepped out into a large, square-shaped chamber. The middle was sunken, with stairs leading to the bottom. Cages hung from the ceiling and the bones I saw inside them looked human.

Frea shuddered. "I do not wish to imagine the kinds of things that happened in this chamber. Who were the poor souls trapped in these cages? What tortures did they suffer at Miraak's hands? Was it in service to the dragons, or for his own purposes?"

I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

* * *

"I do not know what it is Miraak learned that gave him reason to turn on his masters, but his path seems to have been a cruel one," Frea commented as we passed yet another skeleton. "I wonder if we will find some answers to what happened so long ago."

"One can only hope."

We'd kept going downward through yet more of the extensive temple. Frea seemed to share my thoughts, because a moment later she said, "How much deeper can this be? I had been told that Miraak's power was great, but to have built so large a temple…" She shook her head. "It cannot be much farther now. I feel it in my bones."

I walked down yet another set of stairs. The moment I stepped through the doorway at the bottom I froze, my wide-eyed gaze instantly rising toward the ceiling. There hung the full skeleton of a dead _dovah,_ its wings outstretched as if prepared to swoop down at any moment. I stared up at it. My heart pounded.

"I had heard Miraak had turned against the Dragon Cult, but to display the remains in such a manner as this…" Frea breathed. "It is no wonder the dragons razed his temple to the ground. Seeing the remains hung up like trophies must have enraged them to no end."

I felt anger bubble up in my chest as well. What kind of monster would do something so _vile_ – _?_

There was a rumble that shook the walls. Lids burst from the coffins all around us, ones that I hadn't even noticed, and draugr poured out.

"Brace yourself!" Frea shouted.

I fired arrows at them and she cut them down with her two axes. The strongest of the draugr, one wearing an elaborate horned helm, knocked one of my arrows aside and charged at me. I Shouted fire at it and the undead warrior staggered back long enough for me to shoot it in the eye.

When the last one was finally dead, Frea looked at me and asked, "What manner of magic was that?"

"It's not important. Let's keep going."

At the back of one of the coffins was a door. The way onward, it seemed. I pushed it open and we went inside.

Beyond were a series of chambers filled with long tabled and old corpses. I wrinkled my nose and kept walking. Soon it was clear that the chambers went nowhere.

"Dead end," I told Frea.

She shook her head. "Impossible. There must be something more! Look around. I will let you know if I find anything in the dining area."

We split up. She went back to the entrance of the rooms to search, while I stayed at the back. It was strange. Why would the rooms be hidden if there was nothing back there? What was I missing?

I walked down one of the short hallways and stopped. Backtracking a bit, I looked into a shadowy alcove set into the wall. There was a lever. I pulled it. A moment later I heard Frea's cry from the other room.

"I knew it! A secret passage in the dining area just opened up."

I hurried back out and, sure enough, a doorway had appeared in one of the walls. She nodded to it and said, "This must be it. Let us move quickly."

A short tunnel on the other side led to a chamber lined with carved stone podiums covered with books. Frea stepped over to examine some of them.

"I wonder if there is something here that tells the story of Miraak…" After a few moments she let out a sigh and said, frustrated, "Nothing but ruined books."

When I tried to keep walking, she stopped again. I looked back to see her gazing up at the carved statues that were the room's only other feature.

"I do not recognize this statuary. We passed by a few of them earlier, but they are becoming more frequent as we get further in."

I examined them as well. They were strange, carved to look like some kind of fish-like creature with razor sharp teeth. I'd never seen anything like them in a Nordic ruin before. There was just something about them sent horrible shivers down my spine.

"I do not like this place," she went on. "It almost looks as if these statues will come to life at any moment."

"I agree. Let's keep moving."

The next room held circular stairs cut into the floor. We descended, and they seemed to go on forever as the walls around me almost felt like they were pressing in on us.

"It is eerily quiet. I do not suspect that will be the case the further we go. Be on your guard."

I nodded and nocked an arrow.

The endless winding down finally ended in a small circular room. Wrought iron tangles covered the walls. The ceiling above us rose into a shadowed dome. Below the floor were lit braziers, casting a faint light upon the chamber. In the very center was a pedestal, and on that was a large black book.

From behind me, Frea whispered, "This book… It seems wrong, somehow. Here, yet… not. It may be what we seek."

As I cautiously stepped in first, I heard a low rumbling, growling, humming sound. I started and looked around, but saw nothing. Shrugging it off, I lowered my bow and reached out toward the book. The cover had some kind of strange, tentacled creature embossed onto it. I flipped it open and looked at the first pages.

 _The eyes, once bleached by falling stars of utmost revelation, will forever see the faint insight drawn by the overwhelming question, as only the True Enquiry shapes the edges of thought. The rest is vulgar fiction, attempts to impose order on the consensus mantlings of an uncaring godhead. First…_

I got no further before I felt _something_ slither around my mind. I tried to pull away, but my hands could not release the book. Helpless, I saw my vision blur and everything turn a sickly green before my surroundings faded to black.

"The time comes soon when–"

My vision started to clear. A man stood before me, speaking to several tall, misshapen figures. In the background I saw tall, dark towers and an eerie green sky. A strange serpentine dragon swooped down from above and landed nearby. It growled something to him and the man turned to face me.

"What?"

Before I could react, he shot a bolt of lightning at me. It hit me squarely in the stomach and I doubled over, gasping in pain. The shock brought me to my knees and it was all I could do to try to breathe as I stared down at my shaking hands. I heard the man's boots thump softly against the stone as he strode toward me.

"Who are you to _dare_ set foot here?" He asked me in an imperious voice. One of his gloved hands grasped my chin, forcing me to look up at him. Through the stray locks of hair that hung in my eyes I finally got a better look at him. He was tall and imposing, dressed in dark brown robes embellished with golden spikes at the shoulders. His face was covered with a golden mask depicting... what were those? Tentacles? I felt him staring at me through the dark slits carved for his eyes.

"Ah. You are Dragonborn. I can feel it. And yet..." He cocked his head and regarded me silently for a moment. Then he chuckled. "So you have slain Alduin. Well done. I could have slain him myself, back when I still walked Nirn, but I chose a different path. You have no idea of the true power a Dragonborn can wield."

He stepped back and let out a Shout. Bright light coalesced around him. Sharp horns sprouted from his head and a pair of dark wings unfurled from his back. I stared at him, feeling both confused and a bit afraid. Wings? _Dragon_ wings? _How_ –

"This realm is beyond you," he said. "You have no power here. And it is only a matter of time before Solstheim is also mine. I already control the minds of its people. Soon they will finish building my temple, and I can return home."

He turned away and lazily waved his hand as he said to the creatures around him, "She can await my arrival with the rest of Tamriel."

They floated over to me and I saw that, though they were dressed in tattered robes, their faces were nothing more than a mass of writhing tentacles. I'd barely gotten a look at them before they shot balls of sparking energy down at me. I screamed in pain as the energy ripped through me. I looked skyward with streaming eyes to see the masked s'wit flying away on the odd dragon's back.

Pain consumed me and everything faded away.


	4. Chapter 4: Skaal

The next thing I felt was a hand on my shoulder. Starting, I turned to see Frea staring at me with wide ice-blue eyes.

"What happened to you?" She gasped. "You read the book, and then… It seemed as though you were not really here. I could see you, but also see through you!"

"I saw… I saw Miraak, I think. He had a dragon, and…" I rubbed my forehead, trying to make sense of what I'd just seen. My head still buzzed from the shocks those things had given me.

"Where? Where is he? Can we reach him? Can we _kill_ him?" She demanded.

"I don't know. Reading the book took me to where he was, somehow."

She looked at it with a worried frown. "This is a dangerous thing, then. We should return to my village and show this to my father. Perhaps Storn can make sense of what is going on. Come, there looks to be a way out through here."

I followed close behind as she hurried out through another doorway leading out of the chamber. I kept the strange book tucked under my arm. If she felt it was best for her father to see it, then so be it.

The tunnels led out onto a snowy path overlooking a river. Frea glanced around for a moment, seemed to get her bearings, and kept walking. Moments later, she pointed down below, toward an odd beam of light.

"You see that green light?" She asked. "That comes from the Wind Stone, where my people work against their will. They must be freed soon. The village is just ahead. Storn has used his magic to raise a barrier around it, protecting the few of us left. That the barrier is still there is a good sign."

Soon enough I saw what she was talking about. A shimmering dome, nearly transparent, rose above the tops of the trees. Moments later I saw the houses that were protected by the magical barrier. They were small, with high roofs, and they were made entirely of wood. I followed Frea as she hurried between them to the village's central square.

Several Nords dressed in heavy coats sat there in a circle, the wind whipping their hair. All of them had their eyes closed as they focused on the white energy that came from them and rose up to join the barrier over our heads. Frea went over to one of them, an elderly man.

"Father! I have returned! There is yet hope!"

His only response was to open his eyes and ask, "Frea? What news do you bring? Is there a way to free our people?"

Frea shook her head. "No, but I have brought someone who has seen things. She has confirmed that Miraak is the one behind the suffering of our people."

"I feared that it would be so."

"But how is that possible? After all this time…"

The old man closed his eyes again, worry creasing his brow. "I fear there is too much we do not yet know." Without opening his eyes, he said to me, "So, you have seen things, yes? My magic grows weak, and so does the barrier around out village. Time is short. Tell me what you know."

"I've seen Miraak," I said, kneeling down beside him.

"Really? How?" He asked.

"There was a book in Miraak's temple. I read it and… I don't know how, but it led me somewhere. Miraak was there."

Storn nodded. "The legends speak of that place. Terrible battles fought at the temple. The dragons burning it to the ground in rage. They speak also of something worse than dragons buried within. Difficult to imagine, but if true… It means what I feared has come to pass. Miraak was never truly gone, and now has returned. If you could go to this place and see him… are you like Miraak? Are you Dragonborn?"

My hands tensed. I wrapped my arms around myself, warding off the chill both inside and out, and looked away. There was something about the way he'd asked " _Are you like Miraak?_ " that made me uncomfortable.

"Yes," I whispered. "I am Dragonborn."

"Then perhaps you are connected with him. The old tales say that he, too, was Dragonborn."

"What does it mean, both of us being Dragonborn?" I asked. The cold feeling was getting stronger.

"I am unsure," he said slowly. "It may mean that you could save us… or it may mean that you could bring about our destruction. But our time here is running out. The few of us left free of control cannot protect ourselves for much longer. You must go to Saering's Watch. Learn there the word that Miraak learned long ago, and use that knowledge on the Wind Stone. You may be able to break the hold on our people there, and free them from control. Some dark influence wields power over them, forces them to forget themselves and act against their nature. At first it was only during the night, but now every moment is spent building some strange shrine around the Wind Stone. I believe if the shrine can be destroyed, the Skaal will be free once more."

* * *

Saering's Watch was an old Nordic ruin some way to the northwest. It sat nestled into the mountainside, overlooking the Sea of Ghosts.

I kept to the deep shadows cast by the ancient stone walls, watching the few draugr that roamed the ruin. A set of stairs led up to the upper levels built against the face of the cliff. That was probably where I needed to go to look for the power Storn told me about. Between them and me were a few of the undead. Quietly, I knocked an arrow and drew it back, aiming at one of them. It dropped when I shot it and the others quickly followed suit. Once the path was clear, I hurried up the stairs.

There was one of what I'd learned were called Word Walls carved into the cliff at the top. It was written, like all of them, in the _dovah_ language. The text was fragmented, leaving only pieces speaking of someone named "Bhar the Earth-Hunter." I could feel the thrum of power in the words, as I could in some of the other Word Walls. They almost seemed to call to me.

Storn had said that what Miraak did forced the people to work against their nature. Against their…

I noticed one word standing out amongst all the others. _Gol_. Earth. I brushed my fingers over the letters. That was it.

I hurried back down the mountain, toward where Frea had shown me that green light. Sure enough, there was another one of the shrines like the one at Raven Rock. The one before me seemed more complete than the one I'd seen outside the Dunmer town, however. The Nords from the Skaal village all trudged through the snow with their arms full of stone, or knelt in the water around the stone. It must have been _freezing_. I heard them murmuring their chant as I got closer.

It was time to put a stop to that.

If Miraak had somehow corrupted the stone itself, and _that_ was where the control was coming from as a kind of beacon… then I had to cleanse it of whatever he'd done to it. Summoning up the feeling of the word, I took a deep breath and faced the stone.

" _Gol!_ "

The ground beneath my feet rumbled. Water from the pool sloshed up onto the snow. As I watched, glowing cracks appeared in the shrine's stone arches. They exploded and I ducked to avoid the flying chunks of rock. When I looked back up, the previously possessed Skaal all stood still looking at each other with expressions of fear or confusion.

That was when the monster rose from the pool.

It just seemed to appear, the thing too massive to have been there the whole time. It was at least ten feet tall and covered with bruise-colored scales. Its head resembled the statues that Frea and I saw in the temple. It had the same bulging eyes, fish-like snout, and mouth full of sharp teeth. The monster towered over us, making a gurgling, snarling noise.

The Skaal seemed to snap out of their daze. All of them drew their weapons and attacked, shouting angrily as they descended on it. I stood back, firing arrows at its head. It tried to block the attacks, but there were just too many. It quickly fell beneath the onslaught.

Once the creature was dead, the Skaal turned, one by one, to look at me.

"I don't know what spell you freed us from, outsider," one of them said, "but I thank you."

I followed them back to the village. When we arrived, the barrier was gone and all those that had been left were waiting for us. There were cries of relief as the two groups hurried to greet one another. I slipped through the crowd to where Storn was waiting. He nodded to me.

"The air is different. We are safe," he said.

"Yes. Your people are free."

He nodded again. "So they are. You have proven yourself an ally to the Skaal, and so the Skaal shall be allies to you."

I looked back at the reunions still taking place. "What do we do now?"

"If you have released the Wind Stone and broken the hold on my people, perhaps you can do the same for the rest of Solstheim. I doubt it will fully stop whatever Miraak is doing, but it may slow his progress."

"That's not enough," I told him, feeling frustrated. "He needs to be stopped."

He shook his head. "I cannot help you with that. None here can. You will need the knowledge Miraak himself learned."

"Tell me more about this strange book I saw him though, then," I said, holding out the black-covered tome to him.

The shaman didn't take it. Instead he stared at it with a worried frown. "Miraak had this? This does not look like something of the Dragon Cult. It is a dark thing, unnatural."

"But what _is_ it?"

"Our traditions do not speak of anything like it, but it and Miraak are connected. You read the Black Book, and saw him. And the book's power comes from the same dark source as that which corrupted the Wind Stone. Beware. You are now walking the same road as Miraak."

That wasn't exactly something that I wanted to hear.


	5. Chapter 5: Descent

The Earth Stone outside of Raven Rock was the last of the stones I freed. The townspeople who'd been under its control went back to their lives. Afterward, Raven Rock still had a subdued air about it; one that I assumed had probably been there all along.

I was at the blacksmith's shop, looking over the few arrows he had for sale. There weren't many, but they'd have to do. I didn't want to run out and he was the only person that sold them in the town.

The blacksmith, a large bald man, had seemed to be in a foul mood the whole time I was there. Finally he asked, "You haven't seen Crescius Caerellius have you? That foolish old man's taken my pickaxe again! They don't exactly grow on trees, you know."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Can't you just get the guards to find this Crescius?"

"I prefer to handle these things on my own." The blacksmith sighed and rubbed a large hand over his bald head. "Look, if you see Crescius, tell him to give me that pickaxe back and I'll pay you for the trouble."

"What's so special about _this_ pickaxe that you want it back so badly?"

"It's the only tool tough enough to crack Stalhrim," he told me. "Not many of those beauties left in the world. Forging them is a lost art. The one Crescius "borrowed" came from the Skaal Village up north. I, uh, traded them some goods for it."

I frowned. "Stalhrim's some kind of ore, then?"

He snorted. "Calling stalhrim an ore is like calling my forge a campfire. Some folks say it's "enchanted ice," but I think there's more to it than that."

"I assume it's rare."

"I don't think I've come across more than a chunk or two in my lifetime, and smithing's my trade. If you're looking to learn more, you should head over to the Skaal Village. Someone there's bound to know more about it than I do."

"I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

When I asked around about him, everyone pointed me to the closed mine as the place Crescius was most likely to be. I headed up there and pulled open the old wooden door. It creaked loudly as I shut it behind me and stepped into the dark tunnels on the other side. The only light came from the lanterns that hung on the rough stone walls. Old crates marked with the sign of the East Empire Company sat in the corners. Ahead, I heard two voices arguing.

"Damn it, woman! I said to leave me be!"

"Crescius, last time you explored the mine you almost fell to your death. I'm not spending the rest of my days as a widow!"

"And I'm telling you that I'll do whatever it takes to find my great-grandfather's remains. He's down here, I can feel it."

The two speakers stood facing each other at the other end of the room ahead. One was an old Imperial man, the other a Dunmer woman.

"That was almost two centuries ago," she persisted. "There may be nothing left to find."

"Just let me _go_ , woman!"

"Crescius, you're an obstinate old fool and you're going to get yourself killed!"

She stormed past me and out of the mine. When I approached Crescius, he snapped, "Who in the blazes are you? Can't you see I'm busy?"

There was no sign of the pickaxe. "Doing what, if I may ask?"

He sniffed. "Why should I tell you? I don't even know who you are."

He was clearly not in the best mood. If I wanted to get the mess sorted out, it would be better to just play along.

"Maybe I might be able to help."

"Hmph. Maybe. Been difficult trusting people lately," he grumbled. "They think I'm crazy. But mark my words; these mines hold a secret that could put Raven Rock back on the map."

"What sort of secret, exactly?"

Crescius got a conspiratorial gleam in his eye as he said, "A secret the East Empire Company swept under the rug two centuries ago. It killed my great-grandfather, and left Raven Rock with a worthless and tainted mine."

"Who was your great-grandfather?"

"Gratian Caerellius. He spent his entire life exploring ancient ruins across Tamriel and died in these very mines almost two hundred years ago."

"How?"

"The East Empire Company called it "a terrible accident," claiming that he was lost in a rock fall, but I know better."

I frowned. "What do you have for proof?"

"My wife and I were cleaning out our home, and we came across some of my great-grandfather's things locked in an old chest. I found an unsent letter he'd written to the East Empire Company and a key."

"Well, what did the letter say?"

"It describes a discovery that was made in the mine by some of the diggers," he explained. "They wanted Gratian to take a closer look. The East Empire Company must have felt it was of great value, as they locked that section of the mine off from everyone else."

"So the key was to that locked area?"

"It is." Crescius paused for a moment and shrugged. "Well, I _assume_ it is. I haven't been able to find the entrance."

I crossed my arms, thinking it over. "And you're sure it couldn't have been an accident?"

"Look," he said with a sigh, "I know I don't have much to go on. I have that unsent letter, and that's really it. But I also have a miner's instinct that's run in my family from before Gratian was even born. I may sound like a crazy old man to you, but I'm telling you, the tunnels here are solid. They would never collapse like that."

"I'll admit it does sound a bit suspicious," I admitted.

Crescius laughed. "Finally! Someone who believes me. I'm telling you… there's something _big_ down there, something that the East Empire Company wanted to hide from everyone."

"Why are you telling me this?"

He sighed. "My wife nags that I'm too old to go traipsing around these mines chasing my story. Time's my enemy. It's caught up with me before I could find the answers that I'm looking for."

"So you do need my help."

"I do. I want to know what happened to Gratian, and what the East Empire Company is keeping from all of us."

It looked like I was going to go delving into the mine. Well, I'd done worse.

"Any idea where I should start?"

"Gratian kept a journal of notes about his discoveries. If you can find his… remains, I'm hoping it will help. Here's everything I have. The letter, the key." He handed both to me. Grasping my hands, he said imploringly, "Please, do this for me so I can finally regain the respect that I've lost."

"I will."

Pocketing the letter and the key, I climbed down the nearby ladder that led deeper into the mine.

It was pitch black down there, so I summoned some flames to light my way. Rough stone walls surrounded me and the wooden boards that wound down further into the depths creaked and groaned beneath my feet. The pieces of mining equipment lying here and there were all covered with cobwebs. None of them looked like they'd been touched in years.

I went down, my feet finally touching the floor of the pit, and headed into one of the tunnels that branched off from the main shaft up to the surface. Somehow I was supposed to find the door that went to that key, one that a man familiar with the tunnels had never discovered. It was a long shot, yes, but not the worst odds I'd ever seen.

The bottom of my tunnel dead-ended in a wall covered with wooden planks. At first I thought that it might have just been there to support the stone behind it from caving in, but what if…

I tapped my knuckles against the planks. As I did, I heard a hollow sound toward the middle. Fitting my fingers into the gaps, I tugged the boards away. Behind it was another tunnel and, blocking that, an old iron gate. I stepped into the newly-revealed passage, brushing away the cobwebs that hung in my path. Taking out the key, I inserted it into the gates lock. It turned and the gate opened with a shrill _creak._

The tunnel on the other side quickly turned into something else entirely. The mine's uneven walls were replaced with cut stone decorated with swirling designs, the likes of which I'd only ever seen in ancient Nordic tombs. Sure enough, burial alcoves lined either side of the hall. The ruin was partially flooded; water sloshed around my feet as I walked.

Was that what they'd called Crescius's great-grandfather down into the mine for? Because they'd found that old ruin? There didn't seem to be anything special down there, and there was no sign of Gratian Caerellius or his journal. Just some old draugr.

The narrow, twisting tunnel I was walking down abruptly ended in a ledge and a sharp drop. Stopping, I looked out at the chamber on the other side.

It was a large cavern lined with stone columns. Twin waterfalls fell from the ceiling, the water running off somewhere to the right. Between them, lit braziers illuminated stairs that led up to some kind of round door. Just before it I could make out what looked like a skeleton.

Carefully, I hopped down onto craggy rocks below the ledge and made my way over. As I walked, I noticed the mummified bodies of several draugr around the cave as well as another skeleton lying at the foot of the stairs. I skirted around it and up onto the raised area.

The skeleton in front of the door lay on top of a tattered old bedroll. An old lantern sat beside it, along with several potion bottles, a quill and inkwell, a satchel, a strange sword… and a leather-bound journal. I knelt down and picked it up, carefully turning the old pages so I didn't tear them.

 _30 Rain's Hand 4E10_

 _Received a letter from the East Empire Company today. They say that some of the miners broke through the wall in shaft three of Raven Rock Mine and found some ruins. I hope this isn't another waste of time like that fiasco they sent me to in Cyrodiil. I'll gather my assistant, Millius, and sail back to Raven Rock at first light… it'll be nice to see the old house in Solstheim again._

Well, I found Gratian.

I flipped through the journal. Gratian grumbled about the Nordic ruins for a bit, and how he could find no mention anywhere of the "Bloodskal clan" that it had supposedly belonged to.

 _11 Second Seed 4E10_

 _It's been an astonishing day of discovery! After exploring the large chamber beyond the dropoff, I was startled to find the strangest weapon I've ever laid eyes upon sitting on a pedestal of sorts. The blade appears to be flawless, and is emitting a faint chilling glow. Bits of parchment I found about the chamber seem to call this "The Bloodskal Blade." Not certain if I should remove it yet. I think I'll sleep on it._

 _12 Second Seed 4E10_

 _I've decided against my own better judgment to remove the Bloodskal Blade from its pedestal. Millius seems completely against it, but we need to bring this wondrous artifact with us when we find a way out of the barrow._

 _13 Second Seed 4E10_

 _I should have listened to Millius. The moment the blade was lifted, we were set upon by draugr. Millius fought bravely, but he fell. I was able to destroy the remaining ones, but I was badly wounded. I can barely stand. My only chance would be finding a way out of this place, but I fear that I'm trapped._

 _14? Second Seed 4E10_

 _Exploring has been slow. I can only move for maybe a few minutes at a time before I have to rest. My supplies are running low, and I'm feeling weaker by the hour. The only progress I've made is finding a strange door with markings on it that I've never seen. There appears to be something to them I'm missing, as they've confounded my attempts at getting through. I'll have to study this further in order to make any progress… barely can keep awake. I'm fairly certain that the key to the door involves the use of the Bloodskal Blade. When swinging the weapon, I'm noticing a ribbon of mystical energy emanating from it. I think by swinging the sword in different directions, it's possible to manipulate this ribbon and solve whatever puzzle this door presents. I hope to get well enough to put this to the test soon… each swing is a huge effort._

 _Last entry_

 _I've lost track of time and my strength is fading. I can't even stand anymore. My wounds refuse to heal. I'm afraid this tomb will become my resting place. If anyone finds this journal, please send these notes to my superiors at the East Empire Company and tell my wife that I love her._

 _May Arkay guide me to my final rest._

I closed the journal with a sigh. Poor fool.

I picked up the "Bloodskal Blade" from its place next to his body. It was heavy and did indeed seem to have a faint red glow. Looking up, I saw that the markings on the stone door seemed to be glowing as well. Brightest of all was the one that ran right down the middle. It also seemed to be pulsing slightly.

Gratian mentioned in his notes that he thought the blade was the key, and that it released some kind of energy. Hefting it, I swung the sword down.

Sure enough, a flash of red light shot from the blade and hit the mark running down the door. The lights died the moment they touched and, with a loud grinding sound, the door split apart.

On the other side of the door was a long tunnel filled with swinging pendulum blades. I sighed. Getting back out of the tomb was going to be interesting.

* * *

"You're back!" Crescius cried when I got back. He'd returned to his house, which was where I found him. "Please, tell me what you found."

"You were right," I said, holding out the journal to him.

"Let me see that." He took it from me and flipped through the pages. "Ha, I knew it! Gratian's death wasn't because of a _rockfall_. It was just a story to keep people away from the tombs." The Imperial grinned. "Now that I have his journal in hand, I can get some closure from the East Empire Company. Make them pay for lying to everyone."

"Good luck."

He smiled. "Thank you. Now, I believe I owe you a little more than a debt of gratitude for all that work you did."

"Please, just the pickaxe. The blacksmith's. He wants it back."

Crescius scowled at that. "The damn fool doesn't even deserve to have it! The pickaxe was made for _mining,_ not _selling_. I'll bet he stole it from the Skaal in the first place."

I didn't exactly doubt that.

"You know it doesn't belong to you."

"Oh, very well," he relented with a sigh. Going over to one of the barrels in the corner, he pulled an ancient pickaxe from behind it. Handing to me, he said, "Here. Tell him I hope he drops the thing on his foot."

Laughing, I left the house and hurried up the street. The blacksmith, who had been sharpening a blade, looked up at my approach.

"Got it," I said, holding it up for him to see. He snorted.

"So, you tracked down old Crescius, eh? Quite a character, isn't he?"

"He means well."

The blacksmith rolled his eyes at that. "If you say so. Tell you what. Since you went through all the trouble of finding it for me and all, you keep it."

"After all that? Why?" I asked, frowning.

"I just wanted to remind that codger you can't just go around taking things from other people. Now that you've delivered the message, I'm satisfied. Besides, that pickaxe hasn't done me any good in years. Maybe you can put it to good use."

* * *

From the blacksmith's I headed over to the town's cornerclub, the Retching Netch. After trekking through that gods-forsaken hole in the ground, I figured I deserved a drink. Maybe more than one. I sat down at the bar. The owner, a Dunmer named Geldis Sadri, said that he'd perfected the recipe for Sujamma. After I'd tried it, I was inclined to believe him.

"Why the name?" I asked him as I ran a finger around the edge of my cup.

"There's actually a funny story behind it, friend," he said, leaning across the bar with a grin. "A few years ago, I was walking down by the docks and I noticed a Dunmer staggering along with a bottle of Sujamma in hand. He was one of my patrons, and liked to drink heavily, so I wasn't exactly surprised."

"Doesn't sound that unusual."

He chuckled. "Ah, but you see this particular Dunmer was as naked as the day he was born and singing badly at the top of his lungs. As I'm watching this spectacle, a netch floats over the Bulwark towards him. The mer looks straight up at the netch, yells "have a drink," and tosses the bottle… It never hit the ground."

"So what did the netch do?"

"Well, the bottle broke on the netch, and it must have swallowed its contents because it started floating sort of tilted," he said, holding up a hand to demonstrate. "Finally, it stopped and began to quiver. A few moments later, the foulest liquid to ever assail your nostrils spewed from its maw. I've seen plenty of drunks in my day, and I'll tell you right now that netch was sick."

"Not everyone can hold their Sujamma," I pointed out, laughing.

"True story, friend. True story."

I stayed for a while longer before downing the rest of my drink, getting up from the barstool, and heading for the stairs leading up to the cornerclub's door. I'd barely made it to the upper level when I heard a voice call out from behind me, " _Wait_."

I stopped and my heart began pounding. It'd been years since I heard that voice. Surely I was wrong. I looked back over my shoulder.

The Altmer that strode up the stairs toward me was of average height for his people. His dirty-blond hair hung in a long braid down his back and yellow-green eyes watched me through the dim light. His clothes were simple, but all in dark colors. I tensed.

No, I hadn't been mistaken.

"So sorry, but you remind me a great deal of someone I used to know a long time ago," he said to me. "Must be the eyes."

I stayed silent, just trying to wrap my head around the situation. I'd assumed that, even if he _had_ survived after I left, he'd died in the aftermath of the eruption with the thousands of others. It seemed that wasn't the case.

He looked... older, but two hundred nine years would do that.

"What's your name?"

"That's none of your business," I hissed. My heart was beating so hard it almost hurt.

He made a low _hmm_ sound and continued looking at me as if he was studying me. In fact, he probably was. That wasn't good. As I turned to hurry out of the cornerclub, I heard him say, "Such lovely red hair..."

I whirled around, hand shooting out to grab his wrist before he could touch the strands. He smirked in response.

"Mara."

"Ganril."

"You look surprisingly good for your age," he commented.

"Shut up."

I let go of his arm and turned on my heel. Shouldering open the door, I marched out onto the street. I heard Gan follow. Just what I needed.

"Habasi wasn't exactly happy when you dropped off the face of Tamriel without a word. The rest of the Guild wasn't either. Sottilde was heartbroken."

"No, she wasn't," I snapped. "It was twice, and neither of us took it seriously. You knew that, too."

"I did."

"So why are you still talking to me?"

He rolled his eyes. "Can't I catch up with an old friend?"

"We were many things, Gan," I said with a harsh laugh and a shake of my head, "but we were never _friends_."

"True. You're too prickly for that."

I glared at my former partner. "Leave me alone."

"Make me."

I was about to make another retort when a voice called out from behind us, "Having trouble?"

Turning, I saw Captain Veleth walking toward us. I felt the change in Gan's demeanor immediately. Clearly he'd never gotten over the wariness of guards that came with being in the Guild for so long.

"No, sir," he said stiffly.

"Good." The captain kept watching Gan. The mer eventually got the message, because he turned on his heel and quickly walked away. Once he was gone, Veleth said to me in an undertone, "I'm sorry to bother you, but Second Councilor Arano asked me to come find you. He said it's quite urgent."

I frowned. "Did he say why?"

"All he wanted me to do is track you down and send you to him. Look, this is important… even more important than wiping out the ash spawn."

The nervousness in his demeanor told me just how serious he thought the matter was. "All right. Where is he?"

In a whisper, Veleth told me. "On the way out of town toward the Earth Stone. Please, go speak to the second councilor as soon as possible."


	6. Chapter 6: Plots

The Second Councilor was waiting just where Captain Veleth said he'd be. Upon seeing me walking down the road, he seemed to relax a bit.

"Thank you for coming," he said to me. "After everything you've already done for Raven Rock, I hate to ask for more, but I can't risk Councilor Morvayn being killed."

"He's in danger? From what?"

"The Ulen Family of House Hlaalu, a rival House, has placed a deathmark on the councilor's head," he explained.

"Why?"

"It's a private matter. Let's just say they seek revenge for the execution of one of their own, ordered by Councilor Morvayn himself. The problem is I don't have any solid proof that anyone from House Hlaalu is hidden among us… only my suspicions."

He _might_ have just been paranoid, but in my experience being careful was always better than simply brushing it off.

"All right. Your concern might be justified."

He shook his head. "It may be justified, but it certainly isn't appreciated. Councilor Morvayn simply feels that I'm being paranoid. I'm afraid that one day I'll awaken and discover him dead, and I don't want it to come to that."

I frowned. "You feel that they're going to attack the Councilor soon?"

"I do. I've received some information from my sources that there could be elements of House Hlaalu already in Raven Rock."

"So why haven't you acted on this?"

"Raven Rock is a small settlement, so it's hard to accomplish anything in secret. If any of them _are_ from House Hlaalu, I wouldn't be able to make a move without them knowing."

I nodded. "Which is why you want me."

"I had a feeling you'd be willing to listen to me," Arano said with a smile, though it was somewhat strained.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I need you to start out by being my eyes and ears. Search Raven Rock and see if you can root out these traitors. The best place to start would be Geldis Sadri over at the Retching Netch Cornerclub. If he provides you any leads, check them out before bringing them to my attention. I can't afford to make any mistakes."

* * *

"Back so soon? My Sujamma that good?" Geldis asked when I walked back up to the cornerclub's bar.

"I can't argue with that, but no." Leaning closer, I said quietly, "The Second Councilor said you might be able to help me with something."

Geldis laughed. "Well, well. Adril's got himself a spy, does he? Azura knows he needs all the help he can get. He's been chasing the Ulens for years now."

"You think he's mistaken?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I just think he's going about this the wrong way."

"And you have a better idea?"

"Actually, I do. If you want to catch those slippery slaughterfish, you need to let _them_ come to _you_." At my questioning look, he explained, "There's an Ulen Ancestral Tomb near the Temple. Someone's been leaving ash yam offerings on the altar inside. If you were to wait inside for whoever that is, I'm betting they'll have some of the answers you're looking for."

I frowned. "Why haven't you told Adril about this?"

"What makes you think I haven't? Any time Adril and the Reodran Guard made a move, the Ulens must have been one step ahead and didn't show up."

After a moment of hesitation, I asked, "Why did Councilor Morvayn execute an Ulen?"

Geldis sighed and shook his head. "Back in ninety-five, Vilur Ulen came to Raven Rock with a plan to take over our town. The fetcher thought he could stir up the locals and use them against the Redoran Guard and then murder Councilor Morvayn when we weren't looking."

"He did this alone?"

"He _arrived_ alone, but spread enough coin around to start changing people's minds. Half the bloody town joined his side. Can you believe that?"

I could. "How did he get caught?"

"He underestimated the Redoran Guard. They were organized and brought a swift end to the coup. Vilur tried to run, but he was caught by Captain Veleth himself. Vilur Ulen was executed a short time later and his remains placed in the Ulen Ancestral Tomb."

"All right. Thanks for the tip."

He snorted. "You can thank me if it works. Until then, I'd head to the tomb and wait until your visitor shows up."

I left the cornerclub and down the main street to the end of town nearest the bulwark. There, at the base of the temple, was the Ancestral Tomb Geldis mentioned. I slipped quietly inside and looked around.

There was no sign of anyone. Deep shadows surrounded the main room, countered by the glowing braziers surrounding the altar at the center of the room. I saw the ashes of the dead Dunmer laid to rest there inside the altar's circular pit. There were none of the ash yams he'd mentioned, which meant that the mysterious visitor hadn't shown up yet. Backing into the shadows, I waited for someone to appear.

It wasn't long before I heard the tomb's door open followed by the sound of footsteps on the stone floor. A moment later a Dunmer stepped into my line of sight. She wore a green dress adorned with a number of glittering stones and her snow-white hair was slicked back. In her arms, I saw several ash yams, which she proceeded to place on the altar. As I stepped out of the shadows, she turned with a start of surprise.

"Oh, excuse me!" She said. "I didn't realize there was anyone else here."

I watched her carefully. "What are you doing here?"

"I presume the same thing you're doing; leaving an offering for the departed. Forgive my surprise, it's just that I wouldn't expect that sort of behavior from someone who isn't Dunmer."

"Been around them my whole life. Eventually you pick up some things. I'm Mara, by the way," I said, holding out my hand to her.

She took it. "Tilisu Severin."

"I thought this was an Ulen family tomb."

She released my hand and said sharply, "Since there aren't any Ulens left on the island, I've taken it upon myself to leave the traditional offering in their stead."

"I'll leave you to it, then."

"Oh, no bother," she said, her tense manner relaxing a bit. "We all have a right to be here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to meditate a bit."

I left the tomb and went back to the Second Councilor. When I arrived, he said, "I hope Geldis proved useful. Have you made any progress."

"Yes. I suspect Tilisu Severin."

He stared at me. "Tilisu? Are you sure?"

"I saw her in the Ulen Ancestral Tomb."

"So Geldis's plan worked, eh?" Adril chuckled. "Every time _we_ tried it, no one would ever show up." He sobered a bit as he went on, "If Tilisu's involved in any sort of plot to harm Councilor Morvayn, I'm going to need hard evidence to prove it."

"Search their house, then."

He shook his head. "I'm not kicking down anyone's door until I have solid evidence in hand. If you're wrong about Tilisu, things would quickly go downhill around here and the real culprits might slip away. I can't afford for that to happen."

"So you want me to do it instead. What if they try to stop me?"

" _If_ you have evidence and it places your life in peril, I would expect you to do whatever you must to keep yourself alive. Be careful: if the Severins have betrayed us, then they'll be well-armed."

"Understood. Before I go, what can you tell me about the family?"

"Tilisu is wife to the family patriarch, Vendil. They have a single child, a daughter named Mirri. They arrived here ten years ago, and have been nothing but a benefit to Raven Rock ever since."

"How?"

"They're quite wealthy and they've been quite generous by sharing their fortune with the community. They've contributed coin, food, supplies… even helped repair a few of the buildings in town with their own hands."

That reminded me of what Geldis said about Vilur Ulen buying the peoples' good will.

"There was nothing unusual about them? Nothing at all?"

Adril shrugged. "People have mentioned it's a bit odd about how close in age Mirri appears to be to her father, but that's hardly a cause for alarm. Just make sure that you find solid evidence. If I accuse them without it, I'll be the laughingstock of the colony."

"I will. Don't worry."

* * *

It was very late when I went over to the Severins' house. It was near the edge of town, isolated from the rest of the buildings. It was of nicer build than many in Raven Rock, I supposed due to the family's wealth. The front door was, unsurprisingly, locked. It didn't take long before I got it picked and carefully opened the door.

Tilisu and another womer, I assumed Mirri, argued by the fireplace on the other side of the room. As I made my way down the stairs leading down to the house's lower level, they abruptly went quiet.

"Did you hear that?" Tilisu asked.

I hurried into one of the rooms off the hall as I heard footsteps on the stairs. It was a storeroom. I ducked behind some of the barrels in the back corner, held my breath, and prayed. A moment later I heard the footsteps hesitate.

"I guess it was nothing."

Though I heard the receding footsteps, I stayed in my hiding spot. If she was smart, she'd wait to see if there really was anything. Sure enough, I heard more footsteps a few minutes later, this time going all the way back up the stairs to the upper level. The women resumed talking for a few more minutes before what sounded like both of them leaving the house.

I needed to hurry.

Climbing out from my hiding spot, I hurried out and down the hall. The double doors at the end led into the massive master bedroom. I glanced around. If there was evidence tying them to the Ulen family, where would they hide it? That was when I caught sight of a heavy metal safe. Perfect.

Kneeling down, I carefully picked the lock. Once it was done, I opened the door and peered inside.

There was the usual money and a few pieces of jewelry. There was also a note. I pulled it out and opened it.

 _Dear Councilor Saldin,_

 _In a manner of days I believe we'll be ready. Our forces hidden within Ashfallow Citadel have been training night and day, ready to strike when we give the signal. With Captain Veleth distracted by the ash spawn attacks, the timing seems perfect. I've waited nearly a decade to exact my revenge upon Lleril Morvayn for the death of my ancestor and I long for the moment my blade will be drawn across his throat. The next letter you'll receive from me will include his head in a sack. Display it proudly in the halls of House Hlaalu, brother._

 _Vendil Ulen_

So it was Vendil _Ulen_ , not Vendil _Severin_. That made sense. I pocketed the note and shut the safe again before hurrying out of the house.

* * *

When I returned to Second Councilor Arano with the evidence against the "Severins," he sent a couple of the Redoran Guard ahead to the Ashfallow Citadel mentioned in the note while a few others and I searched the town for Vendil, Tilisu, and Mirri. There was no sign of them anywhere.

"They're already there," Adril groaned.

"I'll go. See if I can catch up with them and help the guards, if I can."

"See that you do. We can't afford to let these traitors slip away. Ashfallow Citadel's been abandoned for a long time. Be ready for anything."

I trekked out to the ruin. It was some kind of old fortress, half-buried in the ash that covered the landscape. On the stairs leading up to the entrance laid the bodies of the two Redoran Guard that Adril had sent.

A figure covered head-to-toe in black chitin armor stood over the bodies. The knife in his hands dripped with blood. He looked up at the sound of me drawing an arrow.

"Never should have come h–"

His threat cut off with a gurgle as my shot connected with his throat. He fell back with a _thud_ and a cloud of ash went up at the impact. Walking over, I looked down at him. He was one of the Morag Tong, probably. Not Brotherhood. Not in Morrowind. I stepped carefully around the assassin's body and into the citadel.

There was no sign of anyone. The arrival of the guards had likely made them all go on the defensive. Wonderful. I nocked an arrow and kept walking.

Most of the ruin seemed to consist of one long hallway. Iron bars blocked the passage halfway down. Nearby, another of the assassins sat in the shadows, barely visible. I shot them and they slumped over against the wall. At the sound of their groan, I heard footsteps and a door along the hall opened. Two more of the Morag Tong agents came out. I fired, taking down the first. The second dodged my next shot, but was unable to avoid my third arrow. It hit her in the leg and she stumbled. Drawing my sword, I walked over and stabbed her through a weak spot in her armor.

I pulled the chain on the wall near the first dead assassin, and the bars slid down into the floor, allowing me to pass through.

The room at the end of the hall was circular, with a domed ceiling. At the center was a pit filled with water. On the far side of the room I could make out two figures garbed in the same black chitin armor as the others, except they wore no helms. One was unfamiliar, but I recognized the other as being Tilisu.

She crumpled a moment later, one of my arrows embedded in her forehead. The other looked up and hastily ducked behind a stone pillar. The shot I'd aimed at him hit the wall and clattered against the floor.

Switching to my blade, I hurried into the room.

"You will pay for interfering," the mer cried. "House Hlaalu will have its revenge!"

"We'll see about that."

He raced out from behind the pillar then, running right at me. In his hands were twin, razor-sharp glass daggers. I barely held his vicious swipes at bay, and one actually slashed across my arm. I grimaced.

"I've been trained by the Tong, fool!" He cackled.

I Shouted, knocking him back against the wall. I heard a loud _crack_ when he hit, and he crumpled to the floor. When I approached, I saw that the chitin plates on his back had cracked from the impact. I stabbed through, breaking them apart and embedding my blade in his back.

"I join you in death, father…" he groaned before laying still.

* * *

"Well, what happened?" Adril asked when I returned to Raven Rock alone. "Were you able to track down Vendil? Out with it!"

"He's dead."

The Second Councilor's shoulders sagged with obvious relief. "Then… it's finally over. What of the Redoran Guard I sent to the citadel?"

"Slain by the Morag Tong. I got there too late."

"Damn it. I was hoping to _protect_ out people by sending them, not end up with casualties. To think that Vendil would stoop so low as to hire those fetchers… I'm glad you killed him."

"I did what had to be done," I told him flatly.

"Wonderful, simply wonderful! Councilor Morvayn will be quite pleased when he hears about this. Follow me and I'll take you to the Councilor so you can speak to him yourself."

I followed him to a large, stone house built near the water. At one end was a tower that rose several stories above the other buildings. He hurried inside, and we stepped into what seemed set up as a kind of simple throne room. A rug covered the flagstone floor and a red banner displaying the symbol of House Redoran hung on the wall. A Dunmer dressed in blue and brown robes sat in a chair at the far end of the room.

Adril made a short bow to him and said, "Excuse me, Councilor Morvayn? I have some wonderful news."

The Councilor got a quizzical look at that. "Adril… I haven't seen a smile on your face like that in a long time."

"This visitor has single-handedly dealt with a threat that could have ended your life," the Second Councilor said, gesturing to me. "Vendil, Tilisu, and Mirri Severin weren't who they appeared to be. I'm afraid they were here to avenge Vilur Ulen's death."

"Vendil? But he's done so much for Raven Rock… How could this be possible?"

"They did it to gain our confidence, Councilor. They had us all fooled. I should have been more vigilant. I'm sorry."

"Don't say that. It's not your fault, old friend." The Councilor then gestured to me. "And you… step forward."

I did and he looked at me thoughtfully.

"What you've done for me – for all of Raven Rock – goes far beyond what I would have expected from a traveler to our town. For this, you have my deepest gratitude."

I made a short bow. "Thank you, Councilor."

"Now, I'm certain Adril was prepared to reward you appropriately for everything you've done. However, since a bit of coin hardly seems like enough, I've decided to provide something… more substantial."

"Oh?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Since the Severin family, or whoever they were, turned out to be criminals, their property is now forfeit. As Councilor, I hereby award you Severin Manor and everything contained within. You've earned your citizenship here, and I hope you'll consider staying with us as a member of our community."

He was giving me that house. I could live in Morrowind again, if I chose to. The thought was… strange, to say the least.

"My doors are open if you wish to discuss matters involving Raven Rock," Councilor Morvayn added, cutting through my thoughts.

Well, there was one thing I wanted to discuss. That there had been many that resented the Empire's presence when I lived in Vvardenfell had been no secret. But the distrust I felt from the Redoran, who never seemed _that_ much at odds with them…

"Why dislike the Empire so much?" I asked.

It was Adril who answered.

"During the Oblivion Crisis, gates to a plane of Oblivion opened all over Morrowind," he explained. "The Empire pulled most of its forces out of Morrowind to deal with the gates in their own homeland, leaving us virtually defenseless. We had no standing army at the time, just uncoordinated pockets of resistance."

"Then how did the Dunmer survive this at all?"

Voice filled with pride, he said, "House Redoran took charge and was slowly able to build an army. It took years, but it became a force to be reckoned with. When the Argonians invaded years later, House Redoran's army was able to prevent them from sweeping across all of Morrowind. It would be fair to say that House Redoran literally saved the Dunmer people from destruction."

"Now we're the mightiest of the Great Houses and we lead the Council, the ruling body of Morrowind," Councilor Morvayn cut in.

I frowned. The only rule _I'd_ seen was a chaotic vie for power between the Houses. "There's a Council?"

He sniffed. "A group of powerful and influential Dunmer families have been ruling Morrowind for millennia. They embody a council made up of five Great Houses: Telvanni, Dres, Indoril, Sadras, and Redoran."

"And Redoran leads them?"

"Well, of course. With four other houses on the Council, _someone_ has to keep the rabble organized. Our house leads the council by virtue of our preeminence in battle, wisdom, and ancestral glory."

Of course they did.

"If you're interested in pursuing the subject, help yourself to any of the historical volumes in my library."

"I'll pass for now, but thanks," I said. I made a short bow. "Again, thank you, Councilor."

He shook his head. "No, thank you. For everything that you've done."

I left the Councilor's house. As I walked down the street, I felt a tingle down my spine. Was I being watched? I looked back over my shoulder.

Sure enough, Gan stood in the Wretching Netch's doorway, his gaze fixed resolutely on me. I stared back. After a moment he turned away and vanished inside the cornerclub.

It gave me an odd, unsettled feeling seeing him again. It was Gan who'd set up my last job for the Guild. If it hadn't been for that one job, I'd never have realized just how _wrong_ it all was. I'd almost taken the chalice, too, but stealing from a chapel… it woke me up. I'd wanted to put it all behind me.

Fate always has a funny way of ensuring that I can't.


	7. Chapter 7: Ice

Snowflakes fluttered down all around me as I trudged up to the Skaal village. The pickaxe the blacksmith gave me was strapped to my back. If what Crescius said about him stealing it was at all true, they deserved to have it back. Besides, they likely had a far better use for the thing than I did.

Up ahead, at the edge of the village, I saw two people arguing.

"Deor, you must be calm," the woman said, holding onto the man's arm. "I'm sure there's a good reason Baldor left us."

He shrugged her off. "Something isn't _right,_ Fanari. I feel it in my bones and I smell it in the air. Baldor wouldn't leave without telling someone."

"Don't worry yourself over nothing, Deor. Do you want a head full of gray hairs before you've seen forty winters?"

"It makes my heart heavy that you don't believe me, Fanari. Baldor, could be in danger, and you will do nothing. If you won't help me, then I'll ask the All-Maker to send someone else who can."

I had no idea who that "All-Maker" was, but I had the distinct feeling that I was going to be that "someone."

The woman, Fanari, walked away, leaving the man standing alone. He turned a little at the sound of my approaching footsteps and grumbled, "I am in no mood to talk, outsider. One of the Skaal has gone missing."

"Who?"

"It is Baldor Iron-Shaper. As our only smith, Baldor is very important to the village."

He was also the man I was coming to see. Great.

"Why would anyone want to kidnap him?" I asked.

The man sighed. "Well, there is one reason that comes to mind. Baldor is the keeper of an ancient tradition, the forging of Stalhrim. It is an art we Skaal hold sacred. If someone wanted to make such weapons, they would have to get that knowledge from Baldor."

Remembering what the smith had said about the ore, I could see why someone might be that desperate. "Did anything… unusual happen around the time he went missing?" I asked.

"Hmm." The Skaal scratched his beard thoughtfully. "I do not remember Baldor acting strangely. Although, now that you ask, I _did_ see something in the woods on the day he disappeared. I saw two elves in the far distance, dragging something behind them. Hunters often visit our lands, so I thought little of it."

There were an awful lot of elves on that island.

"Where were they headed?"

"South and west." He pointed in that direction. "If your road takes you that way, perhaps you could search for any sign of Baldor. The Skaal would be grateful."

* * *

The trail led me across the island to a spot southwest of Miraak's shrine. There, hidden in the woods, was a lone cabin. Like everything else on the island, it looked fairly old and worn-out. There was a fire pit out front. Two mer sat beside it on a long, split log that served as a crude bench. Both of them were dressed in black armor trimmed with matching fur to keep away the cold. I also noted the faint gilding on it. Only one group I knew of had _that_ particular color scheme.

My hand twitched toward the hilt of my blade.

One of them looked up. His angled eyebrows furrowed and he snapped, "Move along. There's nothing for you here."

I laughed coldly. "Oh, but I think there is. You wouldn't have happened to see a couple of Thalmor goons with a kidnapped Skaal around here, would you?"

He looked at his companion and let out a long sigh. "All you had to do was keep away. What a pity."

Together, they both jumped to their feet and raced toward me, drawing their weapons. I threw fire at the first, buying me some time to draw my own sword. While he tried to douse the flames, I slashed his throat open.

The second deflected my first blow. Sneering, he told me, "You will die on this island, interloper."

He missed deflecting my next strike and I stabbed him through the gut. He gasped.

"I don't think so," I growled.

He toppled and I stepped over the body, marching toward the house. However, something on the bench caught my eye. A note. I examined it.

 _I grow impatient with your lack of progress. If you cannot break the smith, I will be forced to find a more capable interrogator. I expect your next report to contain more encouraging results._

 _–_ _A_

So Baldor _was_ there somewhere. Probably in the house. I tossed the note into the fire and hurried into the cabin.

It was mostly comprised of one main, dark room. It appeared to be a normal, if somewhat rundown, house. At one end of the room, however, was a set of stairs leading down. I descended cautiously.

There was another room down there with some sparse furniture. At the far end of the room, huddled in the shadows, was a hunched figure. The stairs creaked beneath my feet and I saw him look up at me.

"I have been taken against my will! I am in need of rescue!" He shouted.

I raced down the rest of the stairs and across the room to him. It was Baldor, I was sure of that. He was dressed completely in furs, just like the rest of the Skaal. His hands were bound behind his back. I drew my knife.

As I cut through the ropes, he said with a relieved laugh, "I remember you! You are the one who freed the Skaal from the dark spell. Thank the All-Maker that you have come. These accursed elves have taken me from my home."

"Did they hurt you badly?" I asked as the rope finally snapped. "Do you need any healing?"

He shook his head. "No. No, my wounds are not serious. I don't think the elves were trying to harm me. Perhaps they intended to frighten me. At worst, I have a few bruises to show for my ordeal."

"Did the Thalmor say _why_ they abducted you?"

"I do not know this word "Thalmor,"" he said, "but if you mean the elves, they were trying to learn the secrets of forging Stalhrim. Their leader, an elf named Ancarion, has a map. He says that it shows the location of a hidden source of Stalhrim."

"And where can I find this Ancarion?" I asked.

"They have a ship. They took my there and showed me the map. You will find it on the northern coast of the island. Please, do not let Ancarion make his weapons. Kill him or let him live, but take the map from him. It belongs with the Skaal."

"Don't worry," I told him grimly. "I'll get it back, no matter what it takes."

* * *

Just as Baldor had said, there was a ship moored on the northern end of Solstheim, settled below the sheer cliffs of ice. Barrels and crates sat on or near the dock that the Thalmor had erected there. I walked toward it and my boots crunched over the black stones that covered the beach.

One of the Thalmor agents stood guard at the stairs leading up to the dock. He glared at me and told me in a distinctly unfriendly way, "You are trespassing here. I strongly suggest you move along."

"Ancarion runs all of this, yes?" I asked. "I have… _business_ to discuss with him."

He regarded me coolly for a moment before pointing to the ship. "You will find him on the deck. Any hint of treachery, and your life is forfeit."

I marched up onto the ship. There, as promised, the Altmer who must have been Ancarion stood on the deck, examining what appeared to be a map. He was dressed in the gold-trimmed hooded robes that signified his higher rank, though they seemed warmer than the ones I'd seen in the past. My footsteps creaked over the deck's wooden planks and he turned sharply at the sound.

"Leave at once," he snapped. When I didn't move his face hardened and he spat, "Do not test me, or I promise that you will regret it."

"I'm here about the Stalhrim map," I said. "The one you're holding, I assume."

He lowered it slowly, rolling it back up as he did, and watched me with wary eyes. "So you know my purpose here, then? I suppose you must have found that dullard of a blacksmith."

"I did."

He chuckled. The sound was as cold and unforgiving as the cliffs looming above us. "My mission here is a secret, unfortunately. Normally, I'd have no choice but to silence you to protect it. However, there is something… _special_ about you, isn't there?"

I moved to take a step back, but he was faster. Ancarion reached out with a move like a striking snake, and tugged down my hood. I felt the wind tug at the strands of hair that managed to come loose from the knot I wore it in. A slow, dangerous smile spread across his face.

"Yes, there is indeed something special about you, Mara Dragonborn," he said. "Or would you rather I call you _Mara Fides?_ It is quite the honor, meeting the Champion of Cyrodiil in the flesh."

My heart thundered in my ears. "How did you–?"

"Oh, I know a great deal about you, Champion. So many things you tried to keep hidden from the world. Things my superiors would be very interested in hearing." He snapped his fingers and called, "Grab her."

I Shouted, slamming him against the ship's mast with a loud _crack._ He slid to the deck and lay still. Not wanting to take chances, I drew my sword and stabbed him through the heart. Footsteps thundered against the dock and I whirled around to see the other Thalmor agents running toward me with weapons drawn. I summoned fire to my other hand.

How many of them knew? He had _he_ known? _How had he known?_

I threw fire at the first agent who came close and slashed open the throat of the second. Fear and anger pounded through my veins. Before I really knew what was happening, all the mer lay dead around me.

I was shaking when I grabbed the map from Ancarion and stepped off the ship. I'd tried to be careful, so how had he found out who I was?

Once I made it back onto the beach, I turned back toward the dock and Shouted, " _Yol toor shul!_ "

Fire roared over the wood planks of the dock and the ship, over the crates and licked up the sail. It would destroy everything on that ship I might have missed. For the moment, at least, my secret might be safe.

* * *

"It is good to see you again, my friend," Baldor said when I returned to the Skaal Village. He stood by the forge, looking anxious. "Did you find the elves at their ship?"

"I did, and I've brought you the map to the Stalhrim source," I said, holding the scroll out to him.

He took it with a smile. "I know you faced great danger to bring this map to me. There are no words to tell how glad my heart is. Thank you, brave one."

Remembering why I'd gone to the Skaal Village in the first place, I unstrapped the pickaxe from my back.

"Oh, and there's also this." Unwrapping it, I held it out to Baldor. "I got this from a man in Raven Rock. I felt it would be better in your hands rather than mine. You know what to do with it."

"Indeed, I do," he said, taking it from me as well. "Until out next meeting, Skaal-friend. May your hunts always bring you game and your crops grow tall and bountiful."

"Thank you."

With a nod, I turned to walk back toward the entrance of the village. I'd barely gone more than a few feet before I heard a voice call out, "Dragonborn."

Turning around, I saw Storn sitting on a wooden bench outside of one of the houses. He beckoned to me.

"What is it?" I asked, coming to stand before him.

"I would have nothing to do with it," he explained in a careful voice, "but the dark elf wizard, Neloth… He came to us some time ago, asking about Black Books. I believe he knows a great deal about them. Perhaps too much. Seek him out to the south."

I frowned, feeling puzzled. "Why do you think this Neloth can help me find the Black Books?"

"He is also searching for them. In fact, he has already found one. He showed it to me when he came here. It was very like the one you found in Miraak's temple. A thing of dark magic, not of the All-Maker."

So there were more of the books floating around Solstheim. That was… interesting.

Leaning forward, Storn warned me, "Be cautious, Dragonborn. There is something else at work here."


	8. Chapter 8: Forbidden

I crossed the ashlands that covered most of the southern half of Solstheim, heading toward the tower belonging to the wizard that Storn spoke of. Neloth. I'd heard them whispering about it in Raven Rock as well. Tel Mithryn, they'd called it. A Telvanni settlement. I didn't like walking in there, not when Telvanni were involved. Dealings with the Great House belonging to the Dunmer wizards rarely ended well. But what choice did I have? If Neloth had another of the Black Books, he was the key to everything.

The wasted pine trees gave way to the giant mushrooms so typical of Morrowind. Those, I suspected, came from spores given off by the tower itself. Sure enough, I could see it in the distance ahead: one mushroom _far_ taller than any of the rest that were scattered about the landscape.

As I neared the tower, I saw two Dunmer standing out in front of it. The first was dressed in robes the same brown-gray color as the ash around him and seemed to be casting a spell. The other stood back a few feet, arms crossed and watching him with disapproval.

"Why are you out here? Aren't you supposed to be in the tower assisting Master Neloth?" She asked.

The first barely acknowledged her, grumbling quietly for a moment about something. Then he looked back and snapped, "If you must know, I'm _trying_ to get this Ash Guardian spell to work. Now let me concentrate. Besides, shouldn't you be worrying about the damage to the tower?"

"Master Neloth has tasked Elynea with repairing the tower. Why aren't you doing this in the lab, where it would be safer for all of us?"

"The, uh…" He cleared his throat. "… The lab is too small. Also, I need the ashy soil. Master Neloth knows what I'm doing. No need to bother him about it, though. He's quite busy at the moment."

The other mer _tsk_ ed loudly. "It's on your head if something goes wrong. Just let me get back inside first."

She walked back toward the buildings surrounding the main tower and disappeared inside. I hurried forward, skirting around the mage who'd gone back to the attempted summoning, and toward her. She heard my footsteps and looked back with a quizzical expression.

"We don't get many visitors," she said. "Is there something you need?"

I nodded. "Yes. Is Neloth here?"

"Master Neloth is here, but he's very busy."

"It's about what he's working on, I think, and it's important."

She looked me over for a moment before letting out a sigh. "All right. If he's angry, it's on you. Don't say I didn't warn you. Now, do you know a levitation spell?"

I shook my head.

"Wait here a moment."

She disappeared into one of the buildings and reappeared a few minutes later holding an old, dusty ring. It didn't look like it'd been touched in a very long time.

"This should get you up the tower," she said as she gave it to me.

I put the ring on. "Are you one of Neloth's apprentices?"

"No. Talvas is his apprentice." She indicated the frustrated mage standing out in the ash. "I'm Varona Nelas, his steward. I manage the day to day affairs of Tel Mithryn."

"Ah. Thank you."

She nodded and went back inside the smaller building. Once she was gone, I headed up the long root stair to the tower door. It led into a high vertical shaft that led up to the top of the mushroom tower. Calling on the ring's magic, I used it to float up to the top. Stepping off onto the platform, I looked around.

The walls were spongey brown-green mushroom, curved up into a dome. Tables and bookcases filled the room, all covered with tomes, soul gems, Dwemer artifacts, and various other magical objects. Lit candles flickered all around. There was a faint humming, growling sound in the background that I couldn't quite place. Nearby, a Dunmer stood bent over one of the desks, scribbling notes into a journal. A magelight floated by his head. As I got closer, I saw that it was the wizard I'd encountered by the Earth Stone.

I cleared my throat. He turned around.

"You again," he said with an inquisitive look. "Didn't I see you in Raven Rock?"

I nodded. "My name is Mara Dragonborn, and yes you did. I hear you know where to find Black Books."

"You refer to the tomes of esoteric knowledge that old Hermaeus Mora has scattered throughout the world?" He paused, suddenly suspicious. "Is this somehow connected to your search for Miraak?"

"Hermaeus Mora? The books are his?" I didn't even bother to keep the distaste from my voice.

"You didn't know? Hmm. I thought it was obvious. Hermaeus Mora has always tried to seduce mortals into his service with the lure of forbidden knowledge. Where the Black Books actually came from… no one really knows. Some appear to have been written far in the past, others might be from the future. Apparently time is more malleable if you're the Daedric Prince of Fate and Destiny."

That wasn't good.

"Well, I found one book. I need to find more."

"Found one?" He looked at me closely. "Yes, and you read it, too, didn't you? Don't try to deny it, you've got the _look_. I can see it now. Dangerous knowledge is still knowledge and therefore useful. Usually turns out to be the most useful, in my experience."

"I have to know what Miraak knows if I'm going to stop him."

Neloth chuckled. "Now that is a dangerous path indeed. Hermaeus Mora gives nothing away for free. You may end up like Miraak, of course. Two power-mad Dragonborn. It could be very interesting."

"Do you or do you not know where I can find another Black Book?" I asked in exasperation.

"Oh yes. They're not hard to locate once you know how to look for them. I have one here that I've been using to locate more."

That explained that _noise_. "You have a Black Book here in the tower?"

"Yes. I haven't been idle while this fascinating madness engulfed Solstheim. But my book isn't what you're looking for. I'm quite sure it is unconnected with this Miraak, but I do know where to find a Black Book that can help you."

"So you know how to find one connected with Miraak?"

"Yes, I do. I haven't been able to get it, though. But maybe together we can unlock the secrets the Dwemer left behind."

Oh gods. "The _Dwemer_ had it?" All I could think about were the traps. Scores and scores of ancient mechanical traps that even made _me_ nervous.

"Forbidden knowledge was somewhat of a specialty of the dwarves. You don't think they would just leave it alone, do you? It seems the ancient Dwemer discovered this book and took it to study. I found their "reading room" in the ruins of Nchardak. The book is there, but it's sealed in a protective case which I wasn't able to open. But perhaps the two of us together will be able to get at the book."

"Fine."

"To Nchardak, then. Follow me."

* * *

I followed Neloth up the island's ashy eastern coast. Eventually I saw the ruins, half-submerged in the Sea of Ghosts. Waves crashed up against the weathered stone.

"Here we are. Nchardak. The Dwemer certainly knew how to build for the ages. These towers have outlasted their creators by millennia. The book is housed inside that dome." Neloth said, pointing out across the water to the largest, and furthest, of the ruin's several domes. "I'll need to unlock the door for us. Let's get on with it."

With the wizard following close behind, I climbed up the steps and over the rubble of fallen pillars. Nchardak's ruin really was in worse shape than most I'd been in.

We made it halfway across the bridge when I heard a shout up ahead. I caught a glimpse of someone on top of one of the short towers. Reavers. Damn it.

"I had to clear out the riff-raff last time I was here, too." Neloth shouted as we ran to cut off the ambush. "Where do they come from?"

"No idea!"

I drew back an arrow and shot one of them down. Neloth threw bolts of electricity that sent them to the ground, writhing in agony. Once they were gone, the wizard dusted off his hands with an air of impatience.

"Victorious again. Maybe now we can finally begin what we came here for."

We walked up another ramp. I went first, an arrow drawn just in case there were more of them hiding. At the top of the landing was a campsite; makeshift tents were set up here and there, and there were several small fires.

"Hmm. Strange how they come back so quickly."

"Bandits tend to pop up like that," I muttered. I spun around and fired, hitting one of them that had been hiding in the shadows of a tower. She screamed and stumbled, falling over the edge and plunging into the surf. "Like I said."

We kept walking over bridges and through several ruined towers before reaching the front gate. It was barred. Neloth took the lead, heading straight for a strange pedestal set next to the gate.

"The Dwemer of Nchardak appear to have been fond of these control pedestals. Luckily I found a cube to operate it inside on my last visit. I sealed the door when I left to keep out ignorant meddlers. Let me unlock it."

He pulled out some kind of strange metal cube. Setting it on the pedestal, it glowed red and let out loud whirring and clicking noises. A moment later, the gate slid aside, unbarring the door. Neloth gestured to it.

"The book is just inside."

I went in first, pushing open the big metal door. Inside was a big circular room. Huge metal busts of helmed Dwemer loomed from the walls, surrounded by a mess of metal pipes. A glass pane was set into the floor at the very center of the room. Directly beneath it was the Black Book. Its distinct sound was muffled by the glass, metal, and stone encasing it.

"So tantalizingly close," Neloth said as he came up to stand beside me, "but no magic will open that. I'd have had the book already if it could. No, we'll have to do this the hard way."

"You've got an idea, I take it?"

"Yes. If we can restore the steam supply to this room, I'm certain I can open it. As you'll see that's easier said than done. This way to the boilers."

He led me out of the book's room and into a lift that went down deeper into the ruins. As we walked through the half-collapsed passageways, Neloth explained, "The last time I was here, I only explored a small part of the ruins. I was here alone then, and I find an assistant is absolutely essential for this kind of dirty, dangerous work."

So that I could be the one getting into all the danger instead of him, obviously.

"Nchardak. The "City of a Hundred Towers." In its day it was the largest of the great Dwemer Archives, and perhaps the most advanced. In the old stories, when the Nords came to conquer it, it's said the Dwemer submerged the entire city beneath the sea until the invaders gave up. I have my doubts, but the city was a marvel of Dwemer engineering. Now… reduced to _this_."

We stepped out into a massive underground chamber and he gestured vaguely to it. Pillars reinforced with metal bands barely held up the broken stone ceiling. Except for the upper platforms, most of the chamber was filled with sea water.

"As you can see," he went on, "most of the lower levels of the city are flooded. But it isn't hopeless – the old Dwemer pumps still seem to work. Watch."

He placed the cube into another of the pedestals. It glowed blue. There was a rumble and the water level went down somewhat.

"Well, that's good," I said, looking down at the water. "What's the problem?"

"The pumps only operate when a cube is in the pedestal and, unfortunately, I only have one cube."

"Ah."

"These four boilers provide steam to the room upstairs," he said, pointing them out one by one. "They're shut down, but they still respond to the control cubes. So, if we can find four more cubes, we can turn these boilers back on and restore steam power to the room upstairs. Then I should be able to open the book's protective case."

"Great. Any idea where to actually get more of them?"

"Yes." He started to walk back toward the way we'd come from. As he did, he called, "Bring that cube. We'll need it."

I grabbed the control cube. Once it was removed from the platform, there was another rumble and the water level went back up. When I caught up to Neloth, he was examining some kind of panel contraption covered with strange markings and lines. Gears turned in it, producing a rhythmic clicking sound.

"Yes… here we are. This device shows the location of four more cubes in this section of the city. It looks like most of the cubes were moved to the lower levels, perhaps to try to control the flooding before the city was abandoned."

I looked at the panel again, realizing that it was a map.

"The lower levels that are currently flooded? How are we supposed to even get down there?" I asked skeptically.

"Hush. This way."

I followed him down another hall. As we walked, I heard him mutter to himself, "Interesting. That would suggest that the city must have originally sunk during the first cataclysm of Red Mountain. Or that the Dwemer's servitors continued to try to preserve the city after their creators' disappearance…"

He stopped before yet another door, one barred much like the front entrance was.

"Three of the cubes are through here," he said, gesturing to it. "This seems like a sensible place to start. You'll need a cube to unlock this door. I hope you remembered to pick up the cube I placed in the pedestal."

Rolling my eyes, I put the cube in question on the pedestal beside the door. The gate slid aside, and Neloth pushed one of the door's metal panels open. I followed him inside.

On the other side were more halls, all of them with cracked stone floors and metal covering the walls. Not too far beyond the door was another cube. I grabbed it and we kept walking.

"I hope the rest of the cubes are this easy to find," Neloth commented. "Although, knowing the Dwemer, I rather doubt it."

The halls led out onto a large, rectangular chamber that was, unsurprisingly, half flooded. Panels and massive pipes were visible beneath the surface of the water. A thankfully dry walkway led to the other side of the room.

"These must be the "Great Workshops of Nchardak." Impressive, even in ruins."

"If you say so."

He scowled at me and went on, "In the city's days of glory, it was reputed to be able to assemble a complete automaton in a single day. Much of the Dwemer army at the Battle of Red Mountain must have come from here."

"And now it's full of water."

"Indeed. It looks like we'll need to lower the water level to make any more progress."

We crossed the walkway. There were control pedestals on the other side. In the shadows a few feet away, I also saw several immobile Dwemer automatons. Ignoring the shiver I felt at seeing them just standing there, I put a cube onto one of the pedestals. Sure enough, the room's water level went down. Neloth peered down over the edge of the walkway at it.

"Ah, good. Now we can see if we can find a way to get that next cube." He pointed to a doorway on the side of the room.

Before I could figure out a plan to get in there, I heard a loud whirring, along with the scrape of metal on stone. Looking back, I saw that one of the automatons was starting to move. Its head, made in the Dwemer's image, turned toward us. I grabbed an arrow.

"Damn it," I hissed.

* * *

My head broke the surface of the water and I gasped for air. Every cube we took raised shut off the corresponding pumps, raising the water levels again. The fifth cube was still clutched tight in my fist. With streaming eyes, I watched Neloth climb out of the water and walk past me while I gulped in several breaths. Of course the damned wizard had a waterbreathing spell.

"That was easier than I expected. I'm glad you were here to do all the hard work."

I opened my mouth to retort, but all that came out was a cough. He ignored me.

"With the cube I retrieved from the pumping pedestal, we should now have five cubes – exactly what we need. Now we can finally see about getting those boilers started."

"Fantastic," I said, my voice hoarse. "Let's move, then."

Returning to the man chamber, I set the cubes onto the appropriate pedestals. As I'd hoped, the boilers roared to life once the cubes were in place.

"That seems to have done it," Neloth said. He looked around at the boilers while stroking his beard. "Good. It took longer than I'd hoped, but at least it's finally done. I'm going to head back upstairs and see if the reading room has steam. If so, it should be a simple matter to release the book."

There was a loud clatter from below. Looking down, I saw one of the Dwemer constructs appear from a hall that had previously been submerged. Water still dripped from its bronze armor.

"Another Steam Centurion!" I heard Neloth call out. He kept hurrying toward the lift. I rolled my eyes and nocked an arrow on my bowstring. Typical.

Drawing it back, I aimed it at the gyro embedded in its chest. When I fired there was a _bang_ and the metal warrior collapsed. Hissing steam poured from every orifice. Once I was sure it wasn't just going to get back up again, I hurried to catch up with Neloth.


	9. Chapter 9: Apocrypha

We took the lift back up to the Black Book's room. On one side was a bronze pedestal set with a glowing, blue-green button. Neloth pressed it, looking up at pumps connected to the pipes along the wall began to move.

"That should do it," he said.

Above, a kind of crystal lens set up near the ceiling turned to project beams of light onto four plates embedded in the chamber floor. When it did, the glass blocking off the book slid aside and the podium beneath the book rose up. Not very high, though. Not much higher than a child might need. Both Neloth and I walked over to examine it.

"At last. I hope it was worth it." Gesturing to the Black Book, he added, "Please… be my guest. You deserve the first look."

"Yes, because you'd rather I test it first. Am I right?"

He tapped his temple with a finger and gave me a knowing look. "It could be _very_ dangerous. These books are known to drive many people insane."

At that moment the book let out its familiar growl. I shivered.

"Don't worry; I'll take careful notes of what happens to you."

"Very reassuring," I grumbled.

Still, I took a deep breath to prepare myself and opened the Black Book's cover.

 _Epistolary Acumen_

 _By the Transparent one._

 _Bring you forth the lovestruck mute who preys with vigor on his love, and set the sky alight with all who dare to struggle 'gainst our move. For we are they who own the night and all who dwell without us fall; we drink the mind-grapes formed of thought and wail a tumult on the wall. To sweep–_

Again, I felt the presence slither around me, creeping into my mind. I shuddered at the sensation of it, but held fast. I needed to get back in there if it led to finding Miraak.

Faintly I heard Neloth say to me, "Oh good. Be sure to say hello to Hermaeus Mora for me, if you see him…"

Everything faded to green, then black. All sight, all sound was gone. There was nothing but a sickening, cold feeling that seemed to ooze through my veins. I shivered and opened my eyes.

There was no tower like the one I'd seen last time. No Miraak, no dragon. But the sky was still full of those same revolting green clouds. I stood in the middle of a stone platform surrounded by a poisonous-looking sea. Other stone islands surrounded me, all too far to just jump across to reach. Black tentacles rose and sank beneath the surface of the sea, and I thought I saw what might have been eyes peering out at me.

" _So, another seeker after knowledge enters my realm_ ," a hoarse voice whispered in my ear. I whirled around, but there was no one there. The voice went on, " _I am Hermaeus Mora, Prince of Fate and Lord of Secrets. This is Apocrypha, where all knowledge is… hoarded. If you wish to speak with me, come and find me. Perhaps you will prove clever enough to uncover the secrets hidden here. Perhaps you are a fool or a coward. If so, you are in peril. Still, you are welcome._ "

From the island ahead a coil of dark metal twisted so that it almost looked like lace unfurled, forming a bridge between it and me. Drawing my bow, I stepped out onto it and kept walking.

* * *

A second book, much like the one that had sent me to Apocrypha in the first place, transported me into a long tunnel made of the same metal lace. Loose pages whirled around the cage-like passage as if caught in a strong wind. I passed through them, wincing as they hit me.

At the end, set onto a pedestal, was a strange kind of glowing golden vine. A ball of light hung from its tip. I cautiously reached out and touched it. When I did, the ball fell and the whole thing close up like a gruesome sort of flower bud. All around me, the walls of the tunnel unfurled. The pages fluttered up into the sky and vanished.

Once they were gone, I saw that I was standing in the center of a massive stone courtyard. On the other side was a massive monster like the ones I'd seen at the Standing Stones. The creature let out a gurgling scream, revealing the hundreds of razor-sharp teeth that filled its mouth. It charged at me and I drew my sword.

I jumped aside and it rushed past, staggering to a stop. Before it could turn on me, I stabbed through one of its ankles with my blade. It shrieked as that leg crumpled and it hit the ground. I avoided its flailing, clawed limbs as I rounded its massive body to stand before its head and stab my sword through one of its eyes.

The monster let out a low, rattling breath and lay still.

At that moment, a wrought iron gate on the other side of the courtyard opened up, revealing a set of stairs leading up to another book. I passed through the gateway and climbed up to it. When I touched the pages, the world whirled around me.

I blinked. Another set of stairs had appeared, surrounded by towers of ancient books that twisted through the air in ways that shouldn't have been possible. Just the sight sent shivers down my spine. Gods, I hated the Daedric Realms.

The stairs ended in a short hall whose walls were comprised entirely of tomes and scrolls. Loose pages covered the floor. Upon stepping inside, the passage began to lengthen. The book wall at the end vanished, revealing a gate that opened up onto another stone platform.

That one was high in the air, with a pool of the poisonous liquid at its center. I carefully skirted around it, not wanting to risk touching the stuff. Some way away, also up in the air, was a massive, lacey metal cage. When I reached the edge of the platform, the walls of the cage unfolded like petals, granting me passage out to it. At the center was a podium holding the largest, oldest-looking book yet.

Before I could even touch it, a giant eye blinked open in the air in front of me. I staggered back with a gasp.

"Well done, mortal," Mora's voice crooned. Tentacles slithered out of the air behind the eye, giving it a frightening sort of halo. "All seekers of knowledge come to me, sooner or later."

"What do you want?" I managed to ask, trying desperately to keep my voice from shaking.

" _You_ have entered _my_ realm. You have sought out the forbidden knowledge that only one other has obtained. You are Dragonborn, like Miraak before you. A seeker of knowledge and power."

A thousand more, smaller eyes opened up all around. Every one of their gazes was fixed on me. I shuddered.

"I won't serve you, monster. I just want to defeat Miraak."

Mora chuckled. The eyes blinked slowly. "You will serve me, willing or not. All who seek after the secrets of the world are my servants. I know what you want: to use your power as Dragonborn to bend the world to your will."

" _Liar,_ " I hissed.

"Am I? As you are, you cannot hope to surpass Miraak. He served me well and he was… rewarded. I can grant you the same power as he wields, but all knowledge has its price."

My eyes narrowed. "Isn't he your ally? Why would you help me defeat him?"

"Hmm. He has served me long and well, but he grows restless under my guidance. His desire to return to your world will spread my influence more widely. But it will also set him free from my… _direct_ control. It may be time to replace him with a more loyal servant, one who still appreciates the gifts that I have to offer."

I didn't like the sound of that.

"What's your price for this power?"

"Knowledge for knowledge," he sighed. "The Skaal have withheld their secrets from me for many long years. The time has come for this knowledge to be added to my library."

"How do I know that I can trust you?"

"My word is as true as fate, as inevitable as destiny," the Daedric Prince said, sounding almost offended. "Bring me what I want, and I will give you what you seek. Send the Skaal shaman to me. He holds the secrets that will be mine."

As one the eyes closed, vanishing back into thin air. In Mora's absence, I shivered and opened the book. Much like the Mysterium Xarxes from what felt like a lifetime ago, the pages were covered in lines of daedric lettering that moved as I watched. Those letters, however, seemed to creep off the page, surrounding me. My vision blurred, I heard the rustle of pages, then…

* * *

"What happened? What did you see?" A voice asked as everything started to come back. "Different people have very different experiences when reading these books."

I shook my head to clear it. Once everything felt less fuzzy, I looked at Neloth. He was watching me with unbridled curiosity.

"I talked to Hermaeus Mora."

The wizard cocked an eyebrow. "You're still acting surprisingly sane, too. What did he have to say? He must have wanted _something_ from you."

"He tried to get me to make a deal for Miraak's Words of Power, but the price is too high."

"Is it now? Precisely what did he ask for?"

"He wants the Skaal's secrets."

Neloth let out a _hmph._ "What secrets could they have worth keeping from old Mora? Sounds like a bargain to me. Hermaeus Mora learns some fascinating new ways to skin a horker, and you become the second most powerful Dragonborn that ever lived."

"I won't betray their trust like that," I snapped.

"Won't you? And just how much do you want to stop Miraak and save everyone?"

I couldn't answer that. The thought put a lump in my throat.

"Well, that gives me a lot to think about," Neloth said, seeming to brush the whole thing off. "I need to get back to Tel Mithryn. I have some ideas about how to locate more of these Black Books."

I followed him out of Nchardak's front doors and froze.

Ahead, perched on one of the half-submerged towers of the ruin, was a bronze-colored dragon. He stared at us with narrowed eyes for a moment before launching into the air with a roar. I heard crackling as Neloth summoned electricity to his fingertips and I held out an arm to stop him.

"No," I said. "Let me handle this."

The wizard gave me a curious look, but stepped back. When the dragon swooped overhead, I Shouted, " _Joor zah frul!_ "

The dragon came crashing down, slamming onto the stone platform that Neloth and I stood on. It creaked beneath us and for a moment I was afraid it might give way. But, somehow, it held. The pain I felt from using the Shout had lessened somewhat over time, doing little more than making me cringe. Still wincing, I walked up to the downed dragon.

" _What foul words are these?!_ " He snarled. Looking up, he glared at me.

" _Just a precaution. What is your name?_ " I asked him.

He glared at me in silence for a long time before growling, " _Krosulhah_."

" _Krosulhah,_ " I repeated. " _Why are you here?_ "

" _Miraak has commanded your death._ "

I regarded him with a slight frown. " _Has he? And why would you do this for him? I have no desire to kill you, but would he say the same? Is your life worth anything to him, Krosulhah? Wouldn't you rather keep your life and be free? I can give you that. I swear it."_

The dragon looked away as he seemed to think it over. When his amber gaze turned back on me, I could see that I'd won.

" _I –_ "

A strange blade lashed out of nowhere and the _dovah_ roared before lying still. I whirled around, drawing my own sword.

Miraak stood behind me, watching me through the slits in his golden mask.

"It takes a strong will to command a dragon's soul," he said. "Perhaps you aren't as powerful as you think."

I heard the telltale rush of air and saw the tendrils of the dead _dovah_ 's soul whirl around before being absorbed by the other Dragonborn.

"How _dare_ you!" I snarled at him. Miraak laughed.

"Do you ever wonder if it hurts, having your soul ripped out like that?" He asked.

I screamed in rage and stabbed him through the chest. The blade just passed through without harming him, as if he wasn't even there. He laughed again.

"Not this time, Dragonborn. All the same, I thank you for your help. We will meet again soon."

With that, he vanished. I stood there with my fists clenched at my sides, seething. I could have saved that dragon. I saw it on Krosulhah's face. He hadn't needed to die. But that filthy s'wit just _had_ to meddle…

"If that's over, I'm going back to Tel Mithryn," Neloth said loudly, suddenly reminding me that the wizard was still there.

"I'm going with you."


	10. Chapter 10: Heart

"Have you seen Varona? I'm hungry," Neloth whined.

I groaned and lifted my head from the table. "No, I haven't seen her."

I'd returned to the Telvanni tower with the wizard after leaving the ruins of Nchardak. The offer Hermaeus Mora gave me still weighed heavily on my mind. Could I just _betray_ those people like that, even if it was to stop Miraak before he could cause any further damage? His cultists had threatened my family, but even so was it right? I needed time to think, which was why I sat at one of the many tables set around the laboratory, the Black Books beside me.

However, I was beginning to regret my decision.

"Well, find her. Tell her I want apple cabbage stew, with some canis root tea."

"Why don't you just make your own damned tea?" I snapped.

He gasped and clapped at hand to his chest, clearly affronted. " _What?_ Make my _own_ tea? I am a wizard of the House Telvanni. Other people make tea for me."

"I'm not your servant."

"Obviously not, or you would have a cup of tea in your hands. I suppose you want to be asked nicely. Very well." He screwed up his face into a pitiful attempt at supplication and said in a mocking voice, "Please, oh hero of Skyrim. Please find Varona. I shall be ever so grateful."

Grumbling, I pushed away from the table and got to my feet. I chose to ignore the wizard's smirk as I crossed the laboratory and descended the tower. When I stepped out the front door, I saw Talvas standing out in the ash. Clearly he was still experimenting with that spell.

"Hey," I called out to him. "Have you seen Varona?"

He didn't even look up. "Not recently. Neloth's been keeping me very busy with spell research. Ask Elynea. She and Varona seem to be quite friendly."

I nodded and he went back to examining his book.

Elynea was in one of the buildings surrounding the tower. The Alchemist was busy studying bits of what looked like diseased mushroom when I poked my head in.

"Elynea, have you seen Varona recently? Neloth's looking for her."

"She left for Raven Rock hours ago," the white haired womer told me. "She promised to bring me back some fresh blisterwort. If you hurry, you might be able to catch up with her."

I left the tower complex, heading out into the ashlands along the trail I knew would take me toward Raven Rock. It wasn't long, however, before I saw something moving in the trees ahead. Humanoid figures. As I got closer, I saw what they were.

Ash spawn.

I drew my sword and the creatures turned on me, growling. I stabbed one, ripping my blade through its chest, and used a Shout to slam the second against a nearby tree. The last swiped at me with its own crude sword and I dodged. When it staggered, I ducked in and plunged my blade into its side. It roared and exploded in a heavy cloud of ash. I coughed, waving a hand in front of my face to dissipate the particles.

What were the ash spawn doing out there? I'd thought they all vanished when I stopped General Carius at the fort.

That was when I saw Varona.

She lay sprawled out in the ash behind the tree, her red eyes wide and glassy. She was dead, and probably had been for a while. Damn it.

* * *

"Have you found Varona yet?" Neloth snapped when I returned to the tower. "I could really use some tea."

"Varona's dead."

He seemed taken aback. "Dead? Well, that's annoying. How did she die?"

"There were ash spawn near here. She was probably attacked."

"There are more and more of those things showing up around here lately," he said grimly. "I suppose you'll have to find me a new steward. Try Raven Rock. They are in awe of me there. I'm sure almost anyone would be willing to serve me."

I highly doubted that.

"And who should I be looking for?" I asked, gritting my teeth.

"Hmm. Excellent question. Once word gets out, there will be a lot of people to choose from. Someone with a brilliant mind and a robust physique that is blindly obedient would be ideal. Oh, and they need to know how to brew tea. Ulves always waters it down."

"Because _that's_ not a tall order…" I grumbled as I left the tower again.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, almost no one wanted the job.

"Are you nuts?" Geldis Sadri had cried when I asked him about it. "Neloth is crazy! I hear he talks to mud crabs."

I winced. "Do you know anyone that _might_ be willing to take the job?"

"It would have to be someone pretty desperate," he mused, scratching his head. "You might ask my apprentice, Drovas. Lately he seems to be hard up for coin."

"Where can I find him?"

"Upstairs, probably."

I went up to the upper floor of the cornerclub, not feeling much hope. Neloth wouldn't be happy, but did I care? Not really. The only person upstairs was a skinny Dunmer sitting on a long bench by the fire. He looked up at my approach, seeming a bit nervous.

"Are you Drovas?" I asked him.

"Yes. What can I do for you?"

"Geldis said you might be interested in being the new steward of Tel Mithryn."

The mer stared at me. "You mean leave Raven Rock? For good? To go work for a crazed Telvanni wizard? Sure. Just let me get my things."

What?

"On second thought, nevermind," he said. "I can get new stuff."

I frowned. Geldis had said only the truly desperate would have gone for the job, and Drovas seemed about as desperate as they came. "You're awfully eager about this."

"Well, I've never been one to pass up an opportunity. Sorry to run, but I'm off to my new job."

He took off like an arrow from a bowstring, racing out of the cornerclub without another word. I followed him, feeling bewildered. What in Talos's holy name made him run off like that? Odd.

I heard a low, menacing chuckle from nearby. "It seems you've inherited a situation."

My eyes narrowed and I turned around to see the orc standing behind me. Beside him was a tall Dunmer dressed in chitin armor. Neither of their expressions seemed pleasant.

"What kind of situation?" I asked, feeling wary.

"Drovas Relvi owes me one thousand Septims. At least he did until you set him up with that Telvanni wizard. Now he's untouchable. The way I figure it, it's _your_ fault he can't pay me. So I guess I'm going to have to collect it from you."

"And if I chose not to pay you?"

He smirked. "Nothing for now, but watch your back. I'll be sending collectors to find you. They won't ask so nicely. One way or the other, I'll get my money."

"You think you scare me?" I asked, laughing. "I face down _dragons_ without flinching. I know how to rip a man's soul out with only a few words. I could burn you to ashes before you could even move."

"The guards will put the bounty on your head, not mine."

Stepping up very, very close to him, I whispered, "Are you willing to take that risk?"

He swallowed hard and I knew I'd won. Reaching into my purse, I pulled out some coins and shoved them into his hands. There wasn't even half of the amount that he'd wanted there.

"This is all you're going to get from me," I hissed.

"Uh… yeah. That sounds good." He cleared his throat and stuffed the coins into a pouch on his belt. "I think that will work."

"All right. Now _back off_."

He did, almost stumbling in his haste to get away from me. The Dunmer followed close behind him. I watched them go with grim satisfaction. I'd lost some drakes, but nothing major, and it was worth it if everyone would just leave me alone for once.

"I didn't think I'd see you back here."

I sighed. Clearly I'd spoken too soon.

"I can go wherever I damn well please, Gan," I said.

He walked around to stand before me, and I noted that his gait hadn't changed one bit. The mer still loped like a predator. His yellow-green eyes were searching.

"Wouldn't have thought you'd get involved with a thug like Mogrul there."

"I was just clearing up a misunderstanding."

Gan let out a _hmm_. "He's no Camonna Tong fetcher, but it was still strange to see you holding your ground when he came calling. Do you still have that scar?"

My stomach twisted at the memory, but that particular memento of my time in the Guild was long gone. That realization curled my lip as I said, "No. And no, you can't look."

"Shame."

I didn't particularly like the look in his eyes. Narrowing my own, I started to turn away.

"Not that I don't _love_ our little talks, Gan, but I'm leaving. Places to go, things to do… You know."

"I do," he said, inclining his head a bit. "Perhaps I'll see you again."

I prayed that wasn't the case.

* * *

"I found you a new steward," I called, landing on the platform at the top of the shaft leading up the tower.

Neloth sat at one of the desks examining what looked like a briarheart from one of the Forsworn. He let out a disdainful snort. "That Drovas man? I _suppose_ he'll do. He makes dreadful canis root tea, though."

To emphasize his point, he pushed the cup that sat on the desk further away.

"But I should be grateful," he said, sounding resigned. "Here, take this for your efforts."

He pointed to a purse sitting at the far edge of the desk. Looking inside, I saw a number of drakes. Enough to make up for what I lose to Mogrul. There was some relief in that. I pocketed the gold.

"Everything that can go wrong is going wrong," I heard the wizard grumble. "Ash spawn attacks, my house, and even my steward is assassinated. There are too many coincidences. There must be _someone_ behind all of my recent troubles…"

"How do you know that?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Ash spawn keep appearing. One night a part of my tower mysteriously withered. Then my steward was killed. I've even been attacked by dragons! Do I need to go on?"

I gave him a weary look and pointed out, "The dragons aren't about _you,_ Neloth."

"Maybe not. I hear they've been seen over Skyrim too."

I rolled my eyes.

"Even so, there is more than enough evidence that someone is out to get me."

"And you think that's reasonable?"

He steepled his fingers. "Yes. I have enemies. Legions of them back in Morrowind. However, in this case I have reason to believe it is someone in Solstheim."

"I suppose you want me to kill them."

"Not yet. That may come later. First I need to identify the culprit." He got to his feet and pulled a small box off of one of the laboratory's shelves. Opening it, he pulled out a plain-looking ring. "I've enchanted this ring to find the source of the attacks. Here, take it."

I did. "How does it work?"

"Just wear it. It will light up the source when you get close to it. I enchanted the ring with a bit of ash from the last ash spawn attack. It can follow the magical link back to its summoner."

I frowned. "How close do I need to be?"

"The link is weak, so you'll have to be within about a hundred feet of the source. Try walking around the grounds."

I slipped the ring on and left the tower. For a long time, I trudged the complex's ashy grounds, seeing nothing. Then I caught a faint, bluish glow out of the corner of my eye. Turning in that direction, I headed down the hill.

The glow led me to a small area near the beach enclosed by a short rock wall. A tall pine tree grew at one end, surrounded by deathbells. Stone monuments along with what looked suspiciously like sarcophagi rested within the wall's confines. It was a graveyard, and the glow seemed to be coming from inside one of the Sarcophagi. It looked vaguely human in shape.

I approached cautiously, drawing my sword. What was I dealing with? A vampire? The sarcophagus was carved with designs of stylized beetles. The name etched into the plaque on the side read _"Ildari."_

When I slid back the lid, the glow vanished. There was nothing inside, save for a round, fist-sized chunk of lava rock that pulsed with a reddish glow. A heart stone. I grabbed it and headed back up to the tower.

Neloth hadn't moved from his place at the desk when I stepped back into the laboratory. Holding up the heart stone clutched in my fist, I called, "I found this. It's the source of the attacks."

The wizard looked up with a frown, his red gaze catching on the stone. "I've known for decades that heart stones will animate the ash, but it would have to be very close by. Where exactly did you find this heart stone?"

"In the grave of someone named "Ildari.""

"Ildari? Then it's my own fault. She was my apprentice before Talvas. She… volunteered for one of my experiments involving heart stones. It was quite annoying when she died."

"There was no body in that coffin."

" _What?_ " He asked, his red eyes widening.

I crossed my arms. "You heard me."

"That's impossible. Wait…" He looked back down at the briarheart in front of him, his brow furrowing. "… Unless she didn't actually die. The heart stone could have kept her right at the edge of life and death. Could it be? Could Ildari still be alive? Could _she_ be my nemesis? Wait a moment while I cast a more specific divination."

He got to his feet and I took a few steps back. Throwing his arms wide, he shouted, "I call upon the powers of the sun, moons, and stars. Ildari Sarothril, reveal yourself!"

Green light ran from his hands up his arms. When it passed over his chest, it turned brilliantly red and sent sparks careening through the air.

In a voice that sounded eerily unlike his own, somewhat grating one, he said, "She lives. Seek her in Highpoint Tower."

The light quickly faded and the wizard shook his head.

"So," he said, his voice back to normal, "Ildari does live after all. She thought she could hide from me, but she can't!"

"I take it _now_ you want me to kill her?" I asked.

"Yes. Go rip that thrice-cursed heart stone from her chest."

* * *

Highpoint Tower was north of the ruins of Fort Frostmoth and mostly buried in a thick layer of gray-brown ash. The tower interior was dark and, unsurprisingly filled with many ash spawn. I found a journal near the door, presumably one that belonged to Ildari.

 _The fools have taken me in. Weak, pathetic men intent on looting this ancient fortress with their crude mining. Niyya is pleasant enough. I may choose to spare her when the time comes._

 _I'm still weak from Neloth's betrayal. He promised me power and glory. He failed to mention the constant pain. And the voices. By the Three, I would do anything to not hear the voices._

 _When my strength returns, I will have my vengeance upon my former master. I can feel the power of the heart stone beating inside me. I need to find a way to tap into its power. Then he shall pay in blood and fire and ash._

The handwriting looked somewhat familiar. Then I remembered the journal I'd found in Fort Frostmoth that belonged to the mysterious wizard who had experimented on General Carius. He'd been revived with a heart stone. Had that been Ildari's work?

I took what was clearly a wrong turn ahead. It led me into a room that dead ended. Set into three of the walls were small cells set with iron bars. Two contained skeletons. A Redguard woman lay curled up on the floor in the third. She looked up at the sound of my footsteps.

"Help!" She gasped, scrambling to her feet. "Please, help me!"

"Hold on."

I knelt by the lock and pulled out my lockpicks. It wasn't really complicated, and the lock _clicked_ a few moments later. I pulled open the door.

With a grateful smile, the woman said, "Thank you for rescuing me. That witch was going to kill me soon, I just know it."

The witch. Ildari. "What can you tell me about her?"

"We were digging in these mines when she found us. She was hurt so bad. We took pity on her and nursed her back to health. She repaid our kindness by attacking us in the middle of the night. Those of us that didn't die were made prisoners."

"What did she do with them?"

"Horrible things. Experiments… and worse." She shuddered. "I'm the last one. The others are all dead now. If you find her, don't make her end quick."

I nodded to the hall I'd come from. "Go back that way. Get to safety."

"Thanks. Good luck to you."

She ran and I kept walking deeper into the ruins. As I walked, I heard a harsh voice echo off the walls, saying, "Neloth is a fool to think he could send some low life to finish me off."

"We'll see about that," I hissed.

The rough tunnels beneath the tower led out into a multistoried chamber. Above, standing on the upper level glaring down at me, was a Dunmer dressed in reddish-brown robes. The robes had been modified in the front, revealing the heart stone embedded in her chest.

Beside her, two pillars topped with charged soul gems shot blasts of fire at me. I dodged them and raced for the stairs that would lead me up to Ildari's level. I heard her laughing as I did. It was a harsh, twisted sound.

I reached the top and dashed across a stone bridge to reach her, drawing my sword. Lightning fast, she raised her gilded, dragon-headed staff to block my strike.

"The heart stone protects me!" She snarled.

I smirked. "Maybe… but what's protecting your heart stone?"

My hand shot out beneath our locked weapons and my fingers gripped the stone's rough edges. With a sharp tug, I ripped it free. Ildari let out a strangled scream and fell dead at my feet.

I stepped back, stone still clutched in my fist, feeling almost pitying as I gazed down at the dead mer. At least it was over.


	11. Chapter 11: Reluctance

"Where is that lazy steward of mine? Varona! Oh no, wait. She's dead. Drovas! Why can I never seem to get a decent cup of tea around here…?"

I all but slammed a cup of the stuff down in front of the wizard and snapped, "There. Happy now?"

Neloth stared at it and looked back up at me again. "You don't even drink tea."

"No," I said, my throat tightening. "But there was someone I loved who did."

I sat down at the other end of the desk without another word and prodded the Black Book with a forefinger. Probably a bad idea, but I didn't particularly care. I'd heard that construction had begun on the shrines surrounding the Stones again. Miraak was growing more powerful with every moment that I did nothing, but the Skaal… the Skaal wouldn't like the price Hermaeus Mora demanded for the only weapon that could be used to defeat him.

I heard Neloth take a sip of his tea and grudgingly mutter, "It's not _terrible_ …"

To keep my mind off the dilemma at hand, I asked him, "What's Vvardenfell like now?"

Neloth seemed surprised by the abrupt question. "The eruption of the Red Mountain hit us hard. The city of Vivec was destroyed and it took decades for us to rebuild. We are still but a shadow of our glorious past, but someday we will rise again. However, House Telvanni still has its properties on Vvardenfell. I've never been to the mainland myself."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Never?"

"Some of us have more important things to do, you know."

I shook my head. I left the island when I was twenty-one to go to Mournhold. Even though I was born in Skyrim, in the Rift, I could barely remember it. I'd been too young when we went to Morrowind. For all intents and purposes, the first time I'd been away was when I boarded that ship in Ebonheart.

"You are too young to remember the exploits of the Nerevarine," Neloth commented. "He defeated Dagoth Ur and saved us all from the blight."

I snorted. "I wouldn't count on that. And the Nerevarine was female."

"Really? Oh, yes. I remember now… Talise, I think her name was. Yes, that's it. Bosmer. Little thing, but packed quite the punch."

"Whatever happened to her?" I asked.

"Oh, she's still around. She's the Archmaster of House Redoran, if I recall correctly, and she's just as uptight as the rest of her blasted House."

I faintly remembered Captain Veleth mentioning something about the Archmaster of House Redoran being named Talise. Could that really have been the dark haired Bosmer I first encountered in the South Wall Cornerclub all those years ago, back when I was still a member of the Guild?

There was a sudden, loud _thud_ as someone's feet collided with the platform at the top of the tower's shaft. Looking around, I saw Talvas hurry into the laboratory. He seemed out of breath… and very worried.

"Master Neloth," he gasped, "there's… someone skulking about the tower grounds. At first I thought I imagined it, but I caught a glimpse of him. An Altmer, I think."

"Who in Oblivion would come all the way out here?" Neloth murmured, puzzled.

I was confused as well. An Altmer outside of Tel Mithryn? Who would willingly go that far from Raven Rock? It had to be Gan, the stubborn son of a guar. Or maybe it was a Thalmor agent I'd somehow missed when I destroyed their ship.

Unless…

I felt my blood turn cold in my veins at the sudden thought. He wouldn't. He was a s'wit, yes, but he'd never stoop _that_ low… would he? But, the longer I thought about it, the more certain I became. How else could they have known my real name unless someone who knew had told them?

There was only one other person on the gods-forsaken island who knew.

Damn him! Damn him to _Oblivion!_

I shoved myself away from the table and got to my feet, gritting my teeth. Neloth stared at me and Talvas even jumped a little. Without a word, I descended the shaft and stepped out of the tower. Sure enough, I saw the mer waiting out among the ashy dunes, a black and gold figure on the landscape. His yellow-green eyes were fixed directly on me. I felt burning, gnawing rage bubble up in my chest and I stormed across the ashes toward him.

"You no-good, self-serving, fetching, traitorous pile of cliff racer shit!" I screamed at him. "You joined the Dominion, didn't you? _Didn't you?_ "

A cold smile curled Gan's lip. "Of course I did. You know I've never been one to be on a losing side. Neither were you, until you joined the damned Emp–"

I slammed my fist into his jaw, sending him staggering back.

"How _dare_ you!"

"How dare _I?_ " He wiped the blood from his split lip away from his mouth. "You're the one who abandoned the Guild. The Camonna Tong came in two months after you vanished and stormed the South Wall, even with our defenses. It seemed like the next thing I knew, I was hearing some girl in Cyrodiil with your name was playing hero for that lowly Septim. You sold out, Mara."

"Don't talk to me about loyalty! What we did, what we all did, was wrong and you know it!"

"You never used to be so concerned with "right" or "wrong"… Or was it something else?" The mer let out a short laugh. "You slept with him, didn't you?"

I drew my sword and charged at him. He dodged easily. Before I could turn on him again, he caught hold of my arm and twisted it behind my back. My blade dropped from my hand and hit the ground with a dull _thump_. I gasped.

"You don't mean to tell me that you actually loved him?" He hissed in my ear. "What did that bastard have that I didn't, hmm?"

" _A heart_ ," I spat.

I wrenched myself from his grip and Gan shoved me down. My eyes stung from the cloud forced up at the impact and I coughed out ashes. Before I could scramble out of the way, he had a knife pressed against my throat. His sick-colored eyes narrowed and loose strands of pale hair hung in his gaunt face.

"They thought you were something special back in the Guild, you know, but you're not," he snarled. "You're just the same as you always were: an obstinate, abrasive child who always reaches higher than she has any right to. Ancarion heard you were on the island, and wondered if I knew anything about you. And oh, I know _so much_ about you, Mara Fides. I know exactly what you are in the dark."

I could feel his blade starting to bite into my neck. I saw his sneer. He couldn't kill me, no, but he didn't know that. He was still going to try.

" _Fus!_ " I Shouted.

The Altmer's head snapped back and I sat up fast. Grabbing him by the shoulders, I flipped him over so that he was lying flat on his back. I knelt with one knee against his stomach, pinning him to the ground, and tore the knife from his hand.

"You know _nothing_ about me, Ganril. You never have."

I shoved the dagger between his ribs, plunging it straight into his heart. He let out a strangled gasp. I kept my hand firmly clenched around the hilt of the blade and leaned in close, watching as the life faded from his eyes. Then he went slack, lying still as his last breath escaped him and his eyes glazed over.

Standing shakily, I took a step back. One hand clenched into a fist at my side while I used the other to throw fire at his corpse. The smell of burning flesh quickly filled the air. I spat on the ground, turned on my heel, and marched back toward the tower. As I did, I saw Drovas peering out of his house with wide eyes.

"Dispose of _that_ once it burns out, if you please," I said, pointing over my shoulder to where what was left of Ganril was ablaze. The steward continued to stare at me even as I went back inside the tower.

* * *

After that, I realized that I didn't have any more options. I had to go to Storn about Hermaeus Mora's bargain. If he refused to cooperate with the plan… well, I didn't really want to think about that.

It was night when I reached the Skaal Village, and everything was quiet save for the sound of my boots crunching on the snow. The shaman sat on the wooden bench outside his house, examining what looked an awful lot like teeth by the light of the moons. Looking up at me, he said, "Ah, Dragonborn. It has been some time since you returned to us. What news do you bring?"

I took a deep breath to prepare myself for what I needed to say.

"I found another Black Book and spoke to Hermaeus Mora," I told him. "He asked for the "secrets of the Skaal""

"Hermaeus Mora…" Storn shook his head slowly. "… Old Herma-Mora himself. So _he_ is the source of Miraak's power. Of course. We have many tales of Herma-Mora trying to trick us into giving up our secrets to him. And now he comes again for what we have long kept from him."

"Herma-Mora… Why do you call him that?"

"That is our name for him. The Demon of Knowledge. He has always been our enemy."

"And what is it exactly that he wants?"

The shaman closed his eyes. "Ah. Ancient lore, handed down from shaman to shaman since the All-Maker first gave Solstheim to the Skaal. How to talk to the wind, how to listen to the earth – these are our secrets. Nothing of power or mastery."

I frowned, feeling confused. "So why would Hermaeus Mora want them?"

"It is in his nature to hoard secrets to himself. Their value to him is of no consequence. The very fact that the Skaal have kept knowledge from him has merely increased his desire to have it."

I stood there in silence for a long time, steeling myself for the words I needed to say. The only sound was that of the wind blowing in from the sea. It sent a shiver running through me.

"He told me that it's the only way he'll teach me the Words of Miraak's Shout," I finally whispered.

"So it falls to me to be the one to give up the secrets to our ancient enemy," Storn sighed. "I do not know if I have the strength to face him. The Tree Stone is still corrupted, and the Sun Stone has fallen back under Miraak's influence… The land is out of balance. But with the other four restored… it may be enough. It will have to be."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"You mean you'll give him what he wants?" I asked.

"Yes. The Skaal also tell of the day when we must finally give up our secrets. When Herma-Mora finally wins. As shaman, it is my duty to guard these secrets, but also to decide when it is necessary to give them up. I believe that time is now. If I am wrong, may my ancestors forgive me." Storn got to his feet, pocketing the teeth, and walked toward the center of the village. He beckoned to me. "Come with me. Let us end this dark game once and for all."


	12. Chapter 12: Summit

I noticed some of the other Skaal peering out of their doorways with looks of concern, as if they could sense that something terrible was about to happen. Storn stopped at the very center of the village and turned to me.

"Give me the book," he said, holding out his hands. "I will read it, and speak to old Herma-Mora myself. I will make sure he lives up to his part of the bargain."

"I hope you know what you're doing," I murmured.

"That is my hope as well. I am trusting that you will make this sacrifice worthwhile."

I nodded. Pulling out the Black Book, I handed it to him.

"Father, you must not do this!" Frea cried as she ran toward us. "That book is… wrong. Evil. Against everything that you have taught me my whole life."

"I must, Frea. It is the only way to free Solstheim forever from Miraak's Shadow. There comes a time when everything must change. Nothing that lives remains the same forever. Do not fear for me, my daughter. This is the destiny that the All-Maker has laid out for me."

Frea's fists clenched, but she bowed her head. "I stand beside you, father, as always."

"I am ready for whatever the foul master of this book has in store for me," Storn said, running one gloved hand over the front cover. Taking a deep breath, he opened the book.

The effect was immediate. The book wrenched itself from his hands to float freely before him. Inky black tentacles shot out from the pages and wrapped themselves around the shaman, lifting him into the air. One of them plunged right through his forehead. That was when Hermaeus Mora's giant eye opened.

"At last," the Daedric Prince cackled, "the Skaal yield up their secrets to _me_."

Storn twisted, wrenching at his confines and choked out, "You… _liar!_ I won't… not… for you…"

"Father! No, stop!"

Frea ran forward, reaching for Storn. I grabbed her arm to hold her back. I could feel her shaking with anger and fear. All around, the rest of the Skaal watched the events unfold in horrified silence.

"Do something!" Frea screamed at me.

I shook my head, feeling my heart clench. "I can't…"

Hermarus Mora's massive eye turned to stare at me as he crooned, "Dragonborn, you have delivered me the gift I requested. In return, I keep my promise, as befits a Prince of Oblivion: I give you the Words of Power that you need to challenge Miraak. You will either be a worthy opponent or his successor, as the tides of fate decree."

I felt, more than heard, the Prince's voice whisper into my ear. " _Mul qah diiv_ …"

And with that, he was gone. The Black Book let out a burst of green light and the tentacles vanished, leaving it and Storn to collapse, lifeless, to the snow.

" _Father!_ "

Frea knelt down beside the man and shook him frantically. When he didn't respond, she looked up at me with tears in her eyes and cried, "What have you _done?_ "

Cringing, I took a step back.

"These are dark times," one of the Skaal said in a hushed voice. "How will we get through them without Storn to guide us?"

"What does it mean? What was that? What happened to him?" A little girl asked, clearly frightened.

"He has returned to the All-Maker. He is at peace now, no matter what that evil thin may have done to his body."

A woman who I thought might have been the Village's leader stepped out from the doorway of one of the building and walked over to the shaman's body.

"Goodbye, old friend," she said. "We will miss you, but do not worry. Frea will guide us well, thanks to you."

I stayed in the shadows as I watched the Skaal, one by one, step up after her to pay their respects.

"We won't forget what you did for us, Storn Craig-Strider. Walk with the All-Maker."

"You'll be missed, old man."

"May the All-Maker guide your soul to the next life."

"I don't really understand what you did, but I trust you did it for the good of the village. So… thank you."

"Return to the All-Maker, old one. The Skaal will never forget your sacrifice."

Soon it was just Frea and I, the rest of the villagers having gone back into their homes. Carefully walking over to the Skaal woman, I said, "Frea, I'm sorry."

She was silent for a long time.

"I do not blame you," she finally said with a sigh. "I know he chose this. I just wish he had seen another way. Go. Kill Miraak. Do not fail."

"I won't. I promise you that."

Kneeling down, I picked up the Black Book and brushed off the snow that stuck to its covers. Shaking her head, Frea pointed back to what was now her house.

"Go in there to read it. You do not want to freeze."

I murmured a soft thanks and stepped into the small wooden house. It was admittedly much warmer in there, although a tingle ran down my spine at the thought of what I was going to do. Going back into Apocrypha at all wasn't exactly a pleasant concept.

And what had that Shout that Hermaeus Mora gave me meant? _Mul qah diiv. Mul_ meant strength, while _qah_ meant armor. _Diiv_ , though… Dragon? Did it mean dragon? That certainly felt right. Strength and armor of a _dovah?_ I remembered those few moments when I first saw Miraak. The Shout he'd used had given him _wings_. Was that what the Daedric Prince gave me? The Shout that could do that?

I opened the book.

When I blinked, the tower I'd seen during my first brief visit to the Daedric Realm loomed above me like a black shadow, reaching up towards the sickly-looking sky high above. That time, however, Miraak was nowhere to be found.

I would have to go looking for him, obviously. Fantastic.

Crossing a short bridge, I stepped up to a book set on a podium. I touched the pages felt everything warp around me.

* * *

The dark, winding, book-lined tunnels of Apocrypha led out onto an open area that looked out at the endless toxic sea. The filigreed metal that formed the floor there creaked softly beneath my boots with every step that I took. Through the haze in the distance, I saw hundreds of twisted arches rising out of the water. Some of them looked like they were moving.

I stood at the edge with my hands on my hips, staring out at them. Had I hit a dead end? Was there something I missed? I debated doubling back for a moment before I heard a loud roar coming from overhead.

As I drew my sword, a dragon swooped down and landed before me. I recognized him as the dragon I saw before with Miraak. He was serpentine, his scales a dead-looking blue color. No horns adorned his head, just a row of spikes down his back. He snapped at me with wicked, curved fangs and I jumped aside, slashing at his face. He pulled back with a sharp his and I saw the red gash that had opened across his nose.

" _Stop!_ " I cried.

He did. Glaring at me, he said, " _Miraak is the true master in this place._ "

" _Maybe. That is why I'm here for him and not for you. If not, we would be fighting. I have no wish to fight you. He's where I cannot reach him, though, isn't he?_ " When he nodded, I lowered my sword a little and pointed to his nose. " _I'll make you a deal. I know that hurts and will until it heals on its own. Swear to take me to him, and I will heal that for you_."

The _dovah_ considered me for a long moment. " _You swear it?_ "

" _I do._ "

"… _Very well._ "

I reached out, summoning the spell to my palm. As I drew my hand over the wound, it closed up and the skin knitted back together. The dragon's snout twitched.

" _Better?_ " I asked.

" _Yes. You have fulfilled your end of our bargain. Come. Climb aboard and I will carry you to Miraak._ "

I sheathed my sword and pulled myself up onto the _dovah's_ neck. Once I was in place he took off, soaring out over the sea. I held on tightly as I gazed down at the numerous islands we crossed over, as well as the endless patches of vile muck. I didn't particularly want to fall into it. Divines knew what would happen if I did.

" _Beware,_ " the dragon said to me after some time. " _Miraak is strong. He knew you would come here._ "

The _dovah_ circled the tower I'd seen before, heading for the top. As he prepared to touch down, I heard a disapproving voice call out, "Sahrotaar, are you so easily swayed?"

Miraak.

I hopped off once Sahrotaar had landed and faced the other Dragonborn. Overhead I heard other roars. More dragons. Miraak held up one gloved hand for silence.

"No. Not yet. We should greet our guest first."

The other dragons hung back, visible only as shadows swooping in the green sky above us.

"And so the First Dragonborn meets the Last Dragonborn at the summit of Apocrypha," Miraak said, sauntering forward to stand before me. I felt his eyes look me over from behind his gilded mask. "No doubt just as Hermaeus Mora intended. He is a fickle master, you know. But now I will be free of him. My time in Apocrypha is over. You are here in your full power, and thus subject to _my_ full power."

"Seems fair," I said with a smirk.

I felt him glare at me. "You will die. And with the power of your soul, I will return to Solstheim and be master of my own fate once again."

He stepped back, using the Shout he had when I first saw him. But he wasn't the only one who knew that trick.

" _Mul qah diiv!_ " I Shouted.

I felt it immediately. It was like my skin was on fire. I sank to my knees, gasping. Looking down at my hands, I saw my nails lengthen into claws and copper-red scales appear on my flesh. Something fluttered at my back. The wings?

"So, you use my own Shout against me," Miraak said, his voice betraying a note of fascination. "You learn quickly. Good. Let us see who truly has the soul of the _Dov._ "

"Yes. Let's."

I Shouted flames at him and he launched himself skyward to avoid my attack. His wings caught the air and carried him away. Snarling, I jumped into the air after him.

I felt everything. The air moving against the skin of the wings, the sensation of being suspended as I left the ground beneath me. It was like flying with the _dovah,_ only so much better. It was exhilarating… and terrifying. My mind was filled with images of Martin becoming the towering golden dragon, crying out with anguish. I pushed the memory aside. I wasn't full dragon. Just… part of one. I was always part _dovah._

Miraak shot a bolt of lightning at me and I spun through the air to avoid it. The effort knocked me off course with him. I gritted my teeth in frustration.

"Fate decreed that you had to die so that I could win my freedom," he cried. "I am done being Hermaeus Mora's pawn."

I laughed coldly at that. "And what will you do if I _don't?_ "

He snarled and dove toward me. I ripped my sword from its sheath and, as I swooped aside, slashed open a deep gash in his chest. The wound shattered his concentration and he plummeted back toward the top of the tower far below. I followed.

As he fell, he stretched out a hand and cried, " _Kruziikrel, rii vaaz!_ "

There was a familiar rushing sound and one of the dragons in the distance fell toward the murky sea below. I froze, wings pumping the air, as I stared at him in horror.

Miraak had just ripped out the _dovah_ 's soul without defeating him first. I recognized the words. Durnehviir taught them to me in exchange for calling him outside of the Soul Cairn. Still, to see it actually used…

Miraak's wings caught the air, slowing his descent. Again, he reached in a different direction and called, " _Relonikiv, rii vaaz!_ "

Another dragon fell with a roar of pain and I heard Miraak's laugh. He pointed to the last dragon. Sahrotaar.

"No!" I screamed as I dove toward him. He wouldn't. Not again.

" _Sahrotaar, rii vaaz!_ "

I saw the dragon collapse, saw the flesh stripped from his bones as Miraak tore out his soul. My cry of rage turned into a jet of fire that I spat at the other Dragonborn.

But Miraak had vanished.

I looked around. The sky was empty.

Swooping down to land on the top of the tower, I looked around warily. There was no sign of him.

"Come out and face me, Miraak!" I shouted. "You treacherous coward!"

I felt the scales fading away from my skin and the weight disappeared from my back. The power of the Shout was wearing off.

Before I could really begin to worry about losing it, I saw Miraak rise from a pool of the toxic water at the tower's dead center. His dragon effect was gone as well, and he seemed to be struggling against whatever was holding him.

That was when Mora's eyes opened.

"Did you think to escape me, Miraak?" A tentacle shot out of the muck and stabbed Miraak through the chest, hoisting him even further into the air. "You can hide _nothing_ from me here!"

I took a hasty step back. Something was terribly, terribly wrong. Mora's anger pulsed through the air in sickening waves. I lowered my blade.

"No matter. I have found a new Dragonborn to serve me."

The truth hit me hard; Hermaeous Mora was going to kill Miraak himself. Then he was going to make me his slave forever, just like Miraak had been.

"May she be rewarded for her service... as I am," Miraak gasped. His entire body flickered as he disintegrated. There was a rushing sound as I absorbed his soul, but not just his. I sensed many of them. The other _dovah_ souls he'd stolen.

The Daedric Prince hummed thoughtfully as he let Miraak's skeleton fall to the ground with a clatter. "Miraak harbored fantasies of rebellion against me. Learn from his example. Serve me faithfully, and you will continue to be richly rewarded."

The main eye turned on me and I felt my heart pounding. I couldn't let him own me. What I'd done for Sheogorath unwillingly had been far too close to that. But what could I do? The Daedric Prince had just killed his last servant, and I–

A _dovah_ 's words came back to me. Durnehviir's. His explanation for his enslavement to the Ideal Masters in the Soul Cairn.

 _"They had control of my mind, but fortunately they couldn't possess my soul."_

Like Miraak, he'd bargained for his power with his servitude. Yet they still hadn't totally owned him. _My_ bargain had been made using the Skaal's knowledge and nothing more. I glared up at the Prince's many eyes.

"I won't, and there's nothing you can do to make me. You can't trick me, Mora. Our bargain's been fulfilled, and I owe you nothing more. My soul is still mine," I spat.

"Such a clever Dragonborn, perhaps more so than Miraak." Hermaeus Mora let out a rattling sigh of regret. "Ah, well. You would have been an interesting addition to my collection. A mortal harboring a fragment of the Mantle of a Daedric Prince… Fascinating…"

I stared at him. "What?"

"You did not truly believe that your condition was a _curse_ , did you?" He asked. "Jyggalag could have done so, yes, but he was too far gone. Instead, he merely forced back a piece of Sheogorath's mantle onto your soul. Its hold is weak, however, and by now you could almost simply… rip it off."

A tentacle brushed past my face and I staggered back. Mora chuckled.

"No, I will not take it from you. To do so would be a waste. I am _far_ more curious as to what _you_ will do with it. Will you keep it and remain immortal forever, or will you use its power to perform something… world-shattering?"

Behind me, there was a loud splashing noise. Turning back, I saw a pedestal rise from the pool of muck. Some of the poisonous water lapped over the sides. At the top of the pedestal was a massive version of the Black Book that brought me into the realm. I walked up to it, careful to avoid stepping in the spills, and opened the front cover. As before, lines of acid-green Daedric script slid over the ancient pages. I reached out to touch it, knowing it would return me to Mundus.

"Your fate has already been set in motion," Hermaeus Mora whispered, "but I will wait to see what lies at the end."

* * *

I opened my eyes. Apocrypha was gone. In its place was the interior of Frea's small wooden house. I breathed a sigh of relief as I closed the Black Book. I'd made it back after all, no tricks. Good.

Frea looked up at me from her spot by the fire. She'd clearly just been tending to it. Her pale eyes were bright as she said, "I can feel it. The Tree Stone is free again. The Oneness of the land is restored. Does that mean… Is it over? Is Miraak defeated?"

"It is. He's dead," I told her.

"Then my father's sacrifice… it was not in vain. He died to free us." She hesitated. Then, "Tell me, was it the only way? Did he need to die?"

"Without Storn's help, I couldn't have defeated Miraak."

"Then… it was the All-Maker's will, as he said. I know I should not doubt it. But it is good to hear, all the same. Thank you."

I nodded. Pulling open the door, I stepped outside. It was morning. The sun was just rising over the sea to the east, the light partially blocked by the shadow of the Red Mountain. I took a deep breath of the cold air as I felt the toxic aura of Apocrypha leaving me. I took a few steps away from the house.

"One more thing, Skaal-friend, if you will," Frea called out to me from the doorway. "I know it is not my place, but… may I offer a word of advice? Of warning?"

I stopped and looked back at her. "What is it?"

"As shaman of the Skaal, I am charged with the spiritual well-being of my people," she said. "While you are not of the Skaal, you are Skaal-friend, and so I give you this warning: Herma-Mora forced you to serve him in order to defeat Miraak. Do not let him lure you further down that path. The All-Maker made you Dragonborn for a higher purpose. Do not forget that."

I smiled a bit at that. "I wouldn't worry about me. I've seen the Daedra enough to know what I'm up against. Besides, Mora has no claim over me. A dragon's soul isn't owned quite so easily."

"Then walk with the All-Maker, Mara Skaal-friend," she said, inclining her head to me.

I repeated the gesture before turning away and walking toward the village's entrance.


	13. Epilogue: Secrets

I planned to stay in what had once been Severin Manor for a few days before going back to Skyrim. I needed to see how Ma was doing, as well as everyone else. I also wanted to see if Serana had succeeded in her quest to cure her vampirism. And with Gan gone forever, staying in the Redoran town for a little while wouldn't be a problem. First, however, I stopped at Tel Mithryn on my way back from the Skaal Village to Raven Rock.

The moment I landed in the laboratory, Neloth hurried toward me.

"Hold still. Let me get a good look at you." He grabbed my chin and turned my face roughly this way and that.

"What are you looking for?" I asked, resigned. It was no good arguing with the wizard.

"Incipient madness. Loss of self-awareness. Black spots in the whites of the eyes. Any of the documented indications of Hermaeus Mora's permanent influence." He squinted at me so hard that I thought for a moment that he was going to go cross-eyed. Then he shrugged. "Hmm, no, you look fine. Well, no different than when I first saw you."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't you want to know what happened with Miraak?"

"Who? Oh, him. Well, I _assume_ you killed him. Or Hermaeus Mora turned on him when you looked like the winning bet. Or a bit of both. Miraak's influence has vanished from Solstheim. So I assumed you handled things. Why, did something interesting happen?"

I picked uselessly at a bloodstain on my sleeve as I said, "Not really. Only if you count the fact that I managed to stop Mora from keeping me as his new pet. He owns no part of me or my soul."

I refrained from sharing what else Hermaeus Mora had told me during our final conversation. I had the distinct feeling that, if I did, Neloth would want to use me as a test subject, and that wasn't something I was exactly keen on.

"Not a simple feat, I'm sure. Good for you."

I snorted.

"Now all that's left are these Black Books, waiting for another ambitious fool to be lured into Hermaeus Mora's clutches. Speaking of which… I think I've located another book, if you're interested."

I held up my hands. "Oh no. I'm not getting pulled into that Prince's machinations again."

I'd buried the one I'd used to get to Miraak out in the ash where no one would hopefully find it. Not for a very long time, at least.

Neloth shrugged. "All right, then. Suit yourself." He hesitated for a moment or two before adding, "I've been thinking recently, and you have proven to be a more valuable ally than I anticipated. I have a staff for you, but I would also like to make you a member of my household. A member of House Telvanni. No need to thank me. I know you are overwhelmed with gratitude."

I frowned. "What does that even mean?"

"For now, not much. But in a few decades when I return to Vvardenfell, you would be seen as Morrowind nobility. In the meantime, we would keep a place here for you."

"I… Thank you, Neloth."

Member of House Telvanni. _That_ wasn't something I'd ever anticipated actually happening.

As Neloth bustled off, muttering to himself as he searched for something, I thought about what I'd learned in Apocrypha.

The curse… wasn't actually a curse. It was a piece of Sheogorath's mantle that had been left behind. That was why I was still around after everything that happened. Part of a Daedric Prince was stuck to my soul. Was that why it hurt to use Dragonrend? The fragment was shying away from the inherent mortality of it? Was that why it, as Mora said, was loose?

The Prince said I could keep it and stay the way I was, but that I could also… _use_ it? What even required that kind of power to achieve?

Neloth returned, rambling about something as he held out a staff carved to look like a dragon. As I took it, I pushed the thought aside.

There was still time to decide what I would do.

* * *

 **A/N: To everyone still here, thank you so much. There's only one book left in this series. The final part of** ** _The Dragonblood Saga, Dragon Queen,_** **will be posted soon. I hope to see you then.**


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